Author: Steve

  • Amazon the Adviser

    Sat down to do data work…but first visited Amazon.com….and these are the book recommendations I got.

    To blow them up some…

    Well…thats not encouraging….Why is it stupid?

    Okay. I have to do some other things…

    Got it…Write a lot…But I am really slow at doing that.

    12 weeks? No way I can do that! What’s wrong with me?!

    …I guess I should get back to that data work.

    [EDIT] Quick Update!

    Okay…Still not doing data work. But, it is pretty cool to use Google Analytics to see web traffic.

    The above map are my visitors (all 4) in the minute after I posted to Facebook. Who is out there in Princeton? And is it Lindsey or Rich out in Denver?

    For reference, here yesterday’s Billikens.com map…from Australia

  • Also….

    Google is great

    http://karenblundell.com/web-tools-wordpress/wordpress-tip-if-preview-page-or-post-does-not-work

  • Kirkwood has a feeling

    I for some reason like group YouTube Dances or lip syncs to pop songs.  My favorite is probably this.  My high school did their own spin of it (in SLU’s arena no less).

  • The Next Season

    After successfully completing the first season of LOST in under a week, I supposed that an update was needed…

    I now have a BA in Political Science, a MA in Political Science, and a MA in Politics.  Lets just say I am a ‘bit slow and need things explained two or three times before they stick.

    The past two to three months were dominated by General Exams.  I overstudied despite advisers (literally) shaking their heads at me.  I am glad I did, and I am thankful to those that helped me along the way (no matter what though, I will forever hate the raft problem).   I will never be required to take a class again.  Little ‘bit of awesome in knowing that Season of life is over.

    But now it is summer, and I am back in St. Louis.  Drove here with my friend AJ after a night in Pittsburgh (where they need to build a Buccos pirate ship).  Currently, I sit here on the back porch.  My cat is on the step outside; Dad is on the deck; and a family of robins sits in my sister’s tree.  Busy times at 2027 Firethorn.

    People asked me when I will go back to Princeton.  I feel like a slacker with my response: “I don’t know.”  I am just taking time off…some work here and there, but ultimately recharging the batteries.

    Last night, the first of the high school crew got married.  Matt wore a kilt.  Katie got clogs.  It was a nice ceremony, with a great reading of the Velveteen Rabbit.  The wedding season of life has officially begun.

    The next project is figuring out what to dissertate about for the next three years. Simply looking for a motivating question that  interests others.  The decision seems somewhat binding.  I always get nervous about commitment and potential closing of doors, and I think that is playing into my thoughts too much with this decision.  But we will see.

    Whether it is the end of classes, or the start of wedding season or dissertating. Time to begin Season 2.

  • On a day Billikens.com goes down…

    Peter Rogers makes it onto StLouisRams.com (Click the photo)

    He is the man in the collared shirt and khakis in the background.  Absolutely loves football.  I think he has only missed one Rams home game and that was because Karen was in the Big 10 Cross Country Championships.  He had season tickets to the Big Red for years.

    Glad to see some enjoyment out of retirement.

  • Put a ring on it…

    I am now the owner of four domain names for weddings… In honor of this, a humorous photo.

    If you need the song, see this post.

  • The Most Relevant Amendment

    From Congressman Louie Gohmert via TPM with a hat tip to Sarah Binder

    Gohmert: Fight Health Care Bill By Repealing Popular Election Of Senators

    Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) is calling for a strong re-assertion of states rights against Congress — in the form of a Constitutional amendment to eliminate the direct popular election of Senators, and go back to the pre-17th Amendment setup of state legislatures appointing them.

    “Ever since the safeguard of State legislatures electing U.S. Senators was removed by the 17th Amendment in 1913, there has been no check or balance on the Federal power grab for the last 97 years,” Gohmert said in a press release, calling for a constitutional convention of the states. “Article V requires a minimum of 34 states to request a Convention which in this case, would be an Amendment Convention for only ONE amendment.”

    And once again, the mainstream miscalculates how many Senators would be indirectly elected.  Dan Weigel incorrectly reports:

    For what it’s worth, Democrats currently control 27 state legislatures, so this would be a pretty bad deal for them at present, sending them back to 54 senators. Media Matters Action has video and points out how this conflicts with the “Massachusetts elected Scott Brown, thus health care reform should die” argument of a week ago.

    He is pretty close though.  Democrats would have at least 54 seats.  No idea how Nebraska or some tied legislatures would go.

    Gohmert: Fight Health Care Bill By Repealing Popular Election Of Senators