Utterly Useless Knowledge

--10th & M St., Lincoln, 11.25.08

Pour yourself a cup of coffee, light up a smoke, grab a box of Kleenex, and let the waterworks flow......

You would think that a weather geek such as myself would've seen this coming. Nope. It was my brother who had the keen senses to pick up on this one, and he eagerly passed it on to me. I'm not sure what to make of this revelation, frankly. Should I be excited? Terrified? I don't know. All is know is that Hurricanes "Bill" and "Ida" are coming in 2009. Let me repeat that. Hurricanes "Bill" and "Ida" are coming in 2009. Folks, this is not a drill. Buy your plywood. Fill your bath tubs. Make sure the generator runs. Get ready. I can likely predict how this will go. Since they pick names in the order of the alphabet, "Bill" will be an early season tropical storm, likely in the far southern Gulf Coast. Characteristically, he will be a relatively normal, tired early season storm, maybe not even reaching hurricane strength. He'll be early to form, and early to fizzle out (as depicted here). Hurricane 'Ida", on the oth

I sat in Zachary's Sports Bar in West Des Moines, which was the official watch site for both the KSU Cat-Backers, and the Nebraska Alumni Association. The 9-0 K-State Wildcats finally had the team, the talent, and thepotential to get a win against Nebraska, a team for 30 straight years which had embarassed them on an annual basis, home or away. Nebraska was down 34-30 with about 2:30 left to play in the game. In their own territory, NU faced 4th & 8. The redshirt freshman Eric Crouch dropped back to pass, and his facemask was introduced to the ring finger of KSU middle linebacker Travis Ochs. Feeling aa bit of a buzz, and fueled on by the energy of the game itself, I, along with every other person in the place jumped out of their seats, both horrified from the fact that Crouch had just had his head on backwards, and enraged that for as obvious to everyone either at the game or watching around the country, there was no flag to be found on the cold turf in Manhattan. K-State t

Yes, the Bruce Dickinson. I'm not entirely sure which the Bruce Dickinson, though.... Either the Bruce Dickinson who puts his pants on just like the rest of us-- one leg at a time. Except, once his pants are on, he makes gold records. Or the Bruce Dickinson with the shredding pipes of one of the 80's greatest metal bands. Regardless, he got my vote for Member of Educational Service Unit, Sub-District 6 last night, and it's a better Educational Service Unit Sub-District 6, either way. I think.

No matter what your politics, I hope that we all can acknowledge today that what took place last night was one of the most significant moments in U.S. History. Remarkable.

Clearly battling inner demons, tailgating in Lincoln with Yours Truly.