Author Archives: Jeff

Feb 13

Senseless

Posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2013, at 9:30 AM by Jeff

Things that will be in the 2020 Summer Olympics: Rhythmic gymnastics. Synchronized diving. Horse dancing. Sailing/yachting. Badminton. Things that will not be in the 2020 Summer Olympics: Baseball. Softball. And now, wrestling. The Iowa high school state wrestling tournament, which Sports … Continue reading →

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Feb 11

IA 175 bridge’s toll days numbered

Posted on Monday, February 11, 2013, at 1:47 PM by Jeff

IA 175’s last half-mile in Iowa, September 2007 The Lincoln Journal Star reported late last month that the private commission that is in charge of the IA 175/NE 51 bridge will turn it over to the states. Because Nebraska law … Continue reading →

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Feb 09

Iowa as shown in two NFL maps

Posted on Saturday, February 9, 2013, at 10:29 PM by Jeff

One of these pieces about NFL fan divisions came during the regular season, while another one popped up shortly before the Super Bowl. The first is an unattributed map of media markets, linked via Reddit, which gives three teams for … Continue reading →

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Feb 07

Titonka Consolidated… to consolidate

Posted on Thursday, February 7, 2013, at 10:17 AM by Jeff

Aerial view of Titonka school from Google Maps. Notice airplane indicator on building roof. The other half of the never-merged WCLT district agreed to give up the ghost Tuesday. Titonka and Algona approved a merger, and the Titonka name will … Continue reading →

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Feb 05

NT boys beat Dunkerton

Posted on Tuesday, February 5, 2013, at 12:59 AM by Jeff

Iowa Star Conference leaders! Look at all the people in the gym! (Waterloo Courier) This game was postponed twice because of weather, hence the Big Monday matchup. NT now has 20 wins and has beaten the team ahead of it in … Continue reading →

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Feb 04

Smaller and smaller

Posted on Monday, February 4, 2013, at 2:25 PM by Jeff

Remember what I said about changed packaging being a warning sign that the product got smaller in size? It happened a few months ago. Both are 12 double rolls. But here’s the fine print: The rolls are now 12% smaller.

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Feb 04

The Casey’s that don’t sell pizza

Posted on Monday, February 4, 2013, at 10:05 AM by Jeff

Believe it or not, these exist. However, they all have something in common: They were not constructed as Casey’s gas stations. I have now run across two of them. One is a former HandiMart at the I-80 US 151 exit. … Continue reading →

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Feb 01

I-80 needed a snow day

Posted on Friday, February 1, 2013, at 10:21 PM by Jeff

Between Des Moines and Iowa City on Friday morning, after Wednesday night’s snow and Thursday’s wind, I counted the following in the ditch: 17 semis (including three at the Colfax exit), 15 passenger vehicles (including one that skidded at a … Continue reading →

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Jan 31

They’re not ‘Basic Skills’ anymore

Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013, at 2:20 PM by Jeff

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 →

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Jan 30

Denver, Kansas?

Posted on Wednesday, January 30, 2013, at 1:57 PM by Jeff

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

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