Desalination a solution for our water woes? Uh, not so fast…

As we creep inexorably toward the one-year mark without meaningful rainfall (how mind-boggling is that, anyway?), ideas that were once bandied about in sci-fi mode now start to take on some semblance of credibility. Like, for example, the idea that we have plenty of water available to Texas, it’s just a bit on the salty… Continue reading Desalination a solution for our water woes? Uh, not so fast…

Rick Perry’s Tax Return: Reading too much into it?

Texas governor Rick Perry’s plans to host a day of prayer and fasting in Houston’s Reliant Stadium on August 6th have – not surprisingly – evoked a wide range of reactions. Some are accusing the governor of crossing the line between church and state, some are suing to stop the gathering, and some are applauding… Continue reading Rick Perry’s Tax Return: Reading too much into it?

QR Tattoos: Get inked, get linked

Ran across this video (via Neatorama) of a guy getting a tattoo of a QR code that links to a website. Note that YouTube apparently believes that a video of someone getting a tattoo is too intense for general consumption. Also, some skeptics are doubting the veracity of this process. Whatever. That’s not the point,… Continue reading QR Tattoos: Get inked, get linked

People Watching

Random observations of the variety of humanity that inhabits the downtown regions of Denver, Colorado. The girl came flying down the street on her bicycle with a grin on her face, as if she knew a special secret. She had long dishwater blonde hair, and was wearing short shorts, a halter top, and angel wings. … Continue reading People Watching

Random Weinergate Observations

Some random thoughts – serious and not-so – about “Weinergate,” the latest example of how skillful a politician can be in shooting his own foot. If only Rep. Anthony Weiner were so competent as a leader. The seductiveness of the internet to cause one to do stupid things cannot be overstated. It’s worse than alcohol… Continue reading Random Weinergate Observations

ABC’s “Combat Hospital” raises moral issues

ABC is airing promos for a new summer fictional drama entitled Combat Hospital. This is a Canadian-conceived show set in 2006 in a military hospital at the Kandahar Airbase in Afghanistan, and purports to depict “the frantic lives of the hospital’s resident doctors and nurses from Canada, America, the UK and other allied countries.” Wartime… Continue reading ABC’s “Combat Hospital” raises moral issues

Trading the Real for the Fake

I daresay that Georges Seurat’s painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is only recognizable to most people in the most vague, I-think-I’ve-seen-a-poster-of-that-somewhere-before sort of way, and most of us would surely not be able to describe it sight unseen. I suppose there’s nothing inherently wrong with this; the painting is more than… Continue reading Trading the Real for the Fake

Pointy Boots

Today’s newspaper ran this AP story under the headline, “Mutant pointy boots create a craze.” When I first saw the headline, I thought, “well, so what’s new? I’ve seen lots of pointy boots on the dance floor, at country dances.” Uh, well, no. Those, my friend, are Pointy Boots. Those are “you’ll poke your eye… Continue reading Pointy Boots

The sources of Midland County’s net gain in population

Forbes Magazine has created an interactive graphic showing population movements into and out of every county in the United States in 2008, based on federal income tax-related data provided by the IRS. A mouse click on each county reveals lines emanating from that county to every other county where people moved to or from, and… Continue reading The sources of Midland County’s net gain in population