March 2010
29 posts
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Earth Hour 2010: The Big Picture →
I love the pictures where the sky is a little overcast because you can see the effect of light pollution.
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“My thoughts dwell on Jobs and his “magical” iPad. The Force is...”
– Darth Vader
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The Rage Is Not About Health Care →
Frank Rich:
If Obama’s first legislative priority had been immigration or financial reform or climate change, we would have seen the same trajectory. The conjunction of a black president and a female speaker of the House — topped off by a wise Latina on the Supreme Court and a powerful gay Congressional committee chairman — would sow fears of disenfranchisement among a dwindling and threatened...
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Thanks
Dear Capital Metro,
I just want to say congrats on a successful MetroRail launch. I know it’s not perfect, but y’all have taken the first major step in making rail a part of our lives here in Austin. And I know things will improve as y’all work out the kinks and we remember to not stop on the tracks. It’s easy to give y’all flack about any number of issues, but not...
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8-bit Austin →
Amazing! I’ve been wanting to see an 8-bit map of Austin. It reminds me of the original Legend of Zelda, but for my hometown. Thanks for the heads-up, Dave!
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It's not everyday that the Deputy Secretary of...
Unless that person is Jim Steinberg, former Dean of the L.B.J. School, who returned to UT to help dedicate our renovated building and welcome our new Dean. Dr. Steinberg reprised his old role briefly by holding a brownbag lunch discussion with students. It was great to see him at L.B.J., if only for a day or so. As Dean he would routinely meet with students during brownbag sessions to discuss the...
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Roadside Geology of Texas
After visiting Enchanted Rock this week, I pulled out my copy of Roadside Geology of Texas, which I admit, I hadn’t read much of until this week. What a wonderful book this is! The major geologic history and regions of Texas are laid out in accordance with roads and highways throughout the state. The first night back from Enchanted Rock I spent several amazing hours reading about the...
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I’m sitting here reading about the health care vote happening right now in Congress and I just can’t believe there is so much opposition to health care reform. How are we - a society functioning in the 21st century and prides itself on freedoms and equality - fighting to keep our fellow citizens (men, women, and children) without access to affordable health care? What makes the haves...
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Solar on the horizon: for all its ties to old... →
Check out this special piece on the Austin American-Statesman about the potential of solar power in Texas by my advisor, Dr. Michael Webber, with contributions from his research group, including yours truly.
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Enchanted Rock and The Cave
I haven’t been to Enchanted Rock since I was a little kid. I don’t know how old I was when my family went, but I would reckon I was seven or eight. It’s a little silly that I haven’t been back since then, because the state park is only two hours outside of Austin. And it’s incredibly beautiful.
Enchanted Rock is an exposed dome of pink granite that has been formed...
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In Defense of Deficits →
Dr. Galbraith, a professor here at the L.B.J. School, explains the roles of deficits and private lending in a modern economy. In short, until we have a functional banking and financial system, increasing the deficit is the only way to increase spending, and therefore, growth. The idea that governments can’t go bankrupt (unless they cease to exist) might rub some the wrong way, but right now...
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Season 14 of "Top Gear" is on iTunes - in HD! →
James makes a an airship out of a caravan. What could be better?
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Gov. Perry: Federal Government Must Take Action To... →
There goes that federal government intervening in our state issues again. You tell ‘em, Rick! Oh wait.
On a more serious note, the Mexican drug wars are out of control.
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Brunch
I just had an amazing brunch at Waterloo Ice House. I had the #5 and the #6, which is four eggs, hash browns, four strips of bacon, two biscuits and then four biscuits with sausage gravy.
Before:
After:
Our server was so impressed he removed the plate of biscuits and gravy.. Mission accomplished. Check out the “Courtesy Name”:
I think I’ve accomplished everything I...
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A Little Help from Our Friends (in Brazil) →
Check out my Op/Ed in this week’s Baines Report! The piece is a trumped up version of a blog post I wrote last year after I returned home from Brazil. Even though I wrote most of my conclusions last summer, a lot of them are still true and will be important for future policy-making (I think).
The Baines Report is the online policy journal for the L.B.J. School here at UT.
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8-bit NYC →
I would love to see a similar map made for Austin.
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Apple Cracking Down on Cookie-Cutter Applications →
I’m glad Apple is cleaning up the App Store. It feels a little like Wal-Mart when it should be a lot like Nordstrom’s.
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Darwin Foes Add Warming to Targets →
The War on Science continues.
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In the World of Climate and Energy Legislation,... →
Check out this astute Op/Ed by Melissa in this week’s Baines Report about the need for improved communication between scientists and policy-makers. This article is a must-read for anyone involved in the technical or policy worlds, which means a lot of us.
FYI, the Baines Report is the L.B.J. School’s online policy journal. Melissa and I are both editors for the online journal and will...
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“Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation in...”
– - John Steinbeck
I didn’t get around to writing anything for Texas Independence Day yesterday, so I’ll make up for it with a few posts this week. What better way to start celebrate Texas Independence Day than with this famous quote by author John Steinbeck.
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