Weather'By Dot Com Chanel Fourcast Sheppard

Make sure you click through to the Slate article:

The Volokh Conspiracy - Fun Name Change Cases:: "Weather'By Dot Com Chanel Fourcast Sheppard"

Heat

July 30 – Houston, TX

This is the teeth of the summer in Houston. We have had the threat of one hurricane – Dolly – that dropped us about 4” of rain. That lowered the temperature for a couple of days – highs in the high 80s, lows in the low 70s.

But hurricanes notwithstanding, today is more typical for late July, early August. High in the upper 90s, lows in the upper 70s or low 80s.

Of course, when the temperature gets so high, the water carrying capacity of the air gets much higher, too. So the relative humidity drops (it is 37% according to our Mighty Weather Station, and 47% according to this Weather Underground station) and the air becomes positively arid. Lots of oxygen in this sort of air. (This being Houston, lots of ozone, too)

But the heat is a good honest heat. You can smell the plants growing, you can hear the cicadas buzzing, and, and you can just feel your body giving up. It is quite refreshing in a way.

This is the heat that gives you a chance to sit on the porch and drink a nice cold beer and really, really enjoy it.

I moved to Houston (the first time) in July of 1980. That year we had 14 days straight of 100+ degree days. Here's the kicker – I didn't have an air-conditioned car. AND I had to wear a suit to work everyday. It was hot.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not some crazy who doesn't believe in Willis Haviland Carrie's invention. I am a big fan of air-conditioning. It is just that the heat in Houston is something to savor, not something to scorn.

Glass Does Not Flow. Except in Space? - TierneyLab - Science - New York Times Blog

Glass Does Not Flow. Except in Space? - TierneyLab - Science - New York Times Blog

A Kiwi's Take on Houston

The Star City of the Lone Star State.

Google as Twilight Zone

Some kind of cooking!

Unfortunately placed ads

Some are funny. Some are embarrassing. Some are just cruel:

Driven - Unfortunately placed ads

Nietzsche was right

I don't often write about work here. There are a couple of reasons for that. One is, quite frankly, that work is seldom that exciting. Now, don't get me wrong - I like what I do, and for a job it is very exciting. We are starting a new market. That is always exciting, hard, and frustrating. Think about it. If you were trying to sell the very first telephone in the world, it would be very hard:


"Hey, look at this great thing! You can talk to your neighbors!"

"I can talk to my neighbors now"

"yes, but you can talk to them without leaving your house!"

"right - but then I would not be able to see them."

"yes, well, you could talk to them while you are in your pajamas!"

"Why would I want to talk to them while I am in my pajamas?"

"well, I don't know. But you could!"

"Do my neighbors have a phone?"

"well, no, not yet. But when they do it'll be great!"

"uh, no thanks"


And another part of it is that I find people who talk only about work to be rather tedious. It is great to love your job. It is not great to have no other interests so that all you have to talk about is your job.

But we are having some upheavals in the company just now. Our Chief Operating Officer, one of the original members of the management team from when the company was formed.

That has the potential for a complete novel in and of itself, but I will leave it be for now.

Walkability maps

David, these are for you:

Montrose, Houston's Most Walkable Neighborhoods - Walk Score Neighborhood Rankings

Denver's Most Walkable Neighborhoods - Walk Score Neighborhood Rankings

Milwaukee's Most Walkable Neighborhoods - Walk Score Neighborhood Rankings

San Francisco's Most Walkable Neighborhoods - Walk Score Neighborhood Rankings

Open Spirit Receives 2008 Best of Stafford Award

This came out of the blue:

Open Spirit Receives 2008 Best of Stafford Award

Songs for All The States

Texas has plenty. Wisconsin, not so many.

normblog: United States of Song