Next to California, whose economy is absurdly large and international, New York and Texas are next in economic and popular significance.
These 3 states are very different; they are in different climates, are about as spaced as possible within the contiguous 48, and represent all sorts of different demographics.
The similarities derived from their power are many also; they set certain standards that the surrounding states and the rest of the country tries to live up to: from California emissions standards to New York Fashion.
Texas as drawn by Tim Clark, It is screwed.
Believe it or not, Texas is a hub for science and technology. After the Golden Bear state, once again, more high tech devices are coming from Texas than any where else in the country. NASA (despite it’s recent inadequacies, mostly due to bureaucracy) is a shining monument to the triumph of the human mind. The two most efficient nuclear reactors in the WORLD are in Texas, and West Texas (along with southern California….yawn) is leading the way in Wind Power production.  The list of world wide notables in the realm of science goes on and on.
All of this despite being the giant western bookend of the Bible belt. Somehow knowledge and science have triumphed for a long time here. It is what has kept Texas head and shoulders above the neighboring states as far as low test scores and all the other modern scourges of stupidity go. This fact can be directly attributed to the oil boom. Oil brought money, money brought smart people, smart people brought universities and innovation, and more money, and more smart people….. Lo and behold we have the great cities and industries of Texas that currently exist.
Well the skeletons in the closet of ignorance are rattling their bones. Apparently they take for granted all the notoriety and wonderful things that science and technology has brought Texas. They wish to plunge it backwards to those good old days of frontierism when a good rancher lived in fear of his God and begged everyday for rain so that his family wouldn’t starve.
Somehow, through the wonders of local politics, the Head of the Texas School Board is an unabashed Young Earth Creationist. Well he’s been spearheading a campaign to pass a bill that encourages “science” teachers to give the pros and cons of certain “theories”. His bill doesn’t specify which ones.
Hmmmm……
You think he wants to science teachers to play Ptolemy and give evidence for the Sun going around the Earth? Maybe.
How about those who don’t believe in germs because they aren’t sensible to the Human body? Will the pros/cons of their views be discussed? Highly unlikely.
What about the fact that despite everything that genetics and logic have shown, not to mention geology, archeology and anthropology, evolution of lifeforms over the course of billions of years is a conspiracy? Yea, that might be touched on.
Well there was a vote today, and by the grace of GOD this did not make it through. The vote was deadlocked at 7-7. Wowowowow. What a reluctant sense of joy 7-7 brings.
For everything else you need to know, i send you to the bad astronomer, Phil Plaitt, one of my 5 favorite scientists.
Check with him regularly for updates on world wide stupidity, and when there is time, some cool astronomy in between.
Texas this is Reality, Reality this is Texas.
Next to California, whose economy is absurdly large and international, New York and Texas are next in economic and popular significance.
These 3 states are very different; they are in different climates, are about as spaced as possible within the contiguous 48, and represent all sorts of different demographics.
The similarities derived from their power are many also; they set certain standards that the surrounding states and the rest of the country tries to live up to: from California emissions standards to New York Fashion.
Texas as drawn by Tim Clark, It is screwed.
Believe it or not, Texas is a hub for science and technology. After the Golden Bear state, once again, more high tech devices are coming from Texas than any where else in the country. NASA (despite it’s recent inadequacies, mostly due to bureaucracy) is a shining monument to the triumph of the human mind. The two most efficient nuclear reactors in the WORLD are in Texas, and West Texas (along with southern California….yawn) is leading the way in Wind Power production.  The list of world wide notables in the realm of science goes on and on.
All of this despite being the giant western bookend of the Bible belt. Somehow knowledge and science have triumphed for a long time here. It is what has kept Texas head and shoulders above the neighboring states as far as low test scores and all the other modern scourges of stupidity go. This fact can be directly attributed to the oil boom. Oil brought money, money brought smart people, smart people brought universities and innovation, and more money, and more smart people….. Lo and behold we have the great cities and industries of Texas that currently exist.
Well the skeletons in the closet of ignorance are rattling their bones. Apparently they take for granted all the notoriety and wonderful things that science and technology has brought Texas. They wish to plunge it backwards to those good old days of frontierism when a good rancher lived in fear of his God and begged everyday for rain so that his family wouldn’t starve.
Somehow, through the wonders of local politics, the Head of the Texas School Board is an unabashed Young Earth Creationist. Well he’s been spearheading a campaign to pass a bill that encourages “science” teachers to give the pros and cons of certain “theories”. His bill doesn’t specify which ones.
Hmmmm……
You think he wants to science teachers to play Ptolemy and give evidence for the Sun going around the Earth? Maybe.
How about those who don’t believe in germs because they aren’t sensible to the Human body? Will the pros/cons of their views be discussed? Highly unlikely.
What about the fact that despite everything that genetics and logic have shown, not to mention geology, archeology and anthropology, evolution of lifeforms over the course of billions of years is a conspiracy? Yea, that might be touched on.
Well there was a vote today, and by the grace of GOD this did not make it through. The vote was deadlocked at 7-7. Wowowowow. What a reluctant sense of joy 7-7 brings.
For everything else you need to know, i send you to the bad astronomer, Phil Plaitt, one of my 5 favorite scientists.
Check with him regularly for updates on world wide stupidity, and when there is time, some cool astronomy in between.
Other Links:
Ars Technica
Wired