The 2007 Weblog Award winners were posted this morning. I spent about 2 hours surfing around and added a few more URLs to my RSS reader.
Most of the winners got thousands of votes by virtue of their popularity. But the lesser-known runners up write great blogs too.
So don't forget to check out some of the finalists in each category. You are sure to find something that strikes your fancy.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
We're 64!
Anchorage comes in at 64 on the list of Top 101 biggest cities of 2006.
By way of comparison, our population is greater than Buffalo NY, St. Petersburg MN, Norfolk VA, New Orleans LA, Baton Rouge LA, or Birmingham AL to name a few.
Anchorage seems so much smaller than the DC Metro area in which I was raised. It was surprising to find that we outrank other major metropolitan areas, some of which support professional sports teams.
I also found 4 Alaskan cities among the 100 shortest commuting times and 2 cities among the 100 longest commutes.
Of course, Alaska is large, but looking at the list of largest land area puts that fact in perspective. 24 cities in Alaska are in the top 100. And Alaska has the 3 largest cities in terms of land area.
Another interesting fact, Eielson AFB (near Fairbanks) is on the list of youngest cities and highest percentage of renters.
You can check out the Top 100 and Top 101 lists at city-data.com. Perusing the lists certainly piqued my interest.
Know any good websites with demographic maps, graphs or statistics?
By way of comparison, our population is greater than Buffalo NY, St. Petersburg MN, Norfolk VA, New Orleans LA, Baton Rouge LA, or Birmingham AL to name a few.
Anchorage seems so much smaller than the DC Metro area in which I was raised. It was surprising to find that we outrank other major metropolitan areas, some of which support professional sports teams.
I also found 4 Alaskan cities among the 100 shortest commuting times and 2 cities among the 100 longest commutes.
Of course, Alaska is large, but looking at the list of largest land area puts that fact in perspective. 24 cities in Alaska are in the top 100. And Alaska has the 3 largest cities in terms of land area.
Another interesting fact, Eielson AFB (near Fairbanks) is on the list of youngest cities and highest percentage of renters.
You can check out the Top 100 and Top 101 lists at city-data.com. Perusing the lists certainly piqued my interest.
Know any good websites with demographic maps, graphs or statistics?
Monday, November 5, 2007
BoostUp
Today I started sending boosts to students in my advisory group.
BoostUp provides positive encouragement for young people to graduate from high school. The site follows ten seniors on their path to graduation. Each student contributes videos and stories to encourage others. They even make TV commercials like this one.
Do you know any high school students? Why not send him or her a boost?
BoostUp provides positive encouragement for young people to graduate from high school. The site follows ten seniors on their path to graduation. Each student contributes videos and stories to encourage others. They even make TV commercials like this one.
Do you know any high school students? Why not send him or her a boost?
Sunday, November 4, 2007
All about Hannah my BFF
Today my BFF Hannah is coming. BFF means best friend for ever! Do you like Halloween? I do! Is it fun?
To Hannah: Choclate kiss to comfort you when you are sad. A sticker to remind you that we will all stick together and help each other. The penny to remind you that you are valuable and special. A band-aid to heal hurt feelings in your friends and yourself. An eraser to remind you that everybody makes mistakes and that's okay. Finally, a pencil so you can do things like explore your mind.
To Hannah: Choclate kiss to comfort you when you are sad. A sticker to remind you that we will all stick together and help each other. The penny to remind you that you are valuable and special. A band-aid to heal hurt feelings in your friends and yourself. An eraser to remind you that everybody makes mistakes and that's okay. Finally, a pencil so you can do things like explore your mind.
The Boy With The Incredible Brain
The Boy With The Incredible Brain is a fascinating documentary of Daniel Trammet. Ever heard of him?
Mr. Trammet is a savant who sees numbers as colored shapes and emotions. He is amazing for his mathematical and linguistic talents; he does huge calculations, performs feats of memory, and learns a language in 7 days.
Equally remarkable is that Mr. Trammet is willing and able to share himself with science. Some scientists believe that, by research, they can unlock similar abilities in everyone.
Mr. Trammet's ability developed after experiencing childhood seizures. What happened in his brain that made him so different from the rest of us? Is he a Hero?
But seriously, what would the world be like if humans developed super-intelligence? Would there be a race of ruling elite? Would greater intelligence serve the greater good?
Mr. Trammet is a savant who sees numbers as colored shapes and emotions. He is amazing for his mathematical and linguistic talents; he does huge calculations, performs feats of memory, and learns a language in 7 days.
Equally remarkable is that Mr. Trammet is willing and able to share himself with science. Some scientists believe that, by research, they can unlock similar abilities in everyone.
Mr. Trammet's ability developed after experiencing childhood seizures. What happened in his brain that made him so different from the rest of us? Is he a Hero?
But seriously, what would the world be like if humans developed super-intelligence? Would there be a race of ruling elite? Would greater intelligence serve the greater good?
Friday, November 2, 2007
Teacher's test protest leads to reprimand
On Tuesday, a Wisconsin teacher refused to administer a test mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act. David Wasserman received a letter of reprimand and will be fired if he refuses to administer the test again.
Now I don't know if Mr. Wasserman was standing on principle or just slacking off. But his actions set a terrible example for students.
Civil disobedience and intelligent discourse have their place in society. But Mr. Wasserman didn't have the moral high ground. His protest ended quickly and he was back to proctoring a test on Thursday. This was a mere publicity stunt, at best.
If you decide to make a protest, PLEASE do it with positive actions and words. Do NOT let your protest be one of inaction and insubordination. Choose your cause wisely and be willing to follow through.
Now I don't know if Mr. Wasserman was standing on principle or just slacking off. But his actions set a terrible example for students.
Civil disobedience and intelligent discourse have their place in society. But Mr. Wasserman didn't have the moral high ground. His protest ended quickly and he was back to proctoring a test on Thursday. This was a mere publicity stunt, at best.
If you decide to make a protest, PLEASE do it with positive actions and words. Do NOT let your protest be one of inaction and insubordination. Choose your cause wisely and be willing to follow through.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Undefeated football teams in week 9
Time to talk smack.
Sure the Pats and Colts are unbeaten but one of them will lose. My fantasy football team is also undefeated and going to stay that way.
Gibbs' Comeback is looking great for the rest of the season and into the playoffs. I love this roster! I like my chances with Romo, MJD, Edwards, and Edgerrin racking up 15-20 points each. And the SD defense has been HUGE lately.
The supporting cast of Evans and Davis is coming on strong and Santonio makes a big play every couple weeks. Brown is a good kicker with a weak schedule and no-touchdown Alexander in the backfield. In all, GC is a consistent, well-balanced squad. No holes in the stat sheet at all.
I'm keeping Gore, Johnson, and Favre on the bench for insurance. They can fill in for injuries or if the matchup is right. Driver, Muhsin, and Skins D are just an afterthought. But their spots might be useful if someone else shows up on the waiver wire.
No matter what happens, GC will win 'em all this year!
How's that for smack?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)