Full Snow Moon Links

I'm not going to use the title supermoon, because that is a bunch of media hype, but here are some super links:

What happens to Loogootee water tower when Jack Butcher's wins record falls? and Doyel: State's winningest coach had no intentions of leaving home and J.R. Holmes will soon become second boys basketball coach in state to reach 800 wins – Indy Star.  80% of the decent stories I get from the Star are about high school basketball.  The rest are about stupid Indiana laws.

Should a Catholic priest be fighting in a boxing tournament? – America.  As a Bengal Bouts alum, I say hell yes.  (Career record 0-4. 0-5 counting the novice matches in the fall of freshman year)

‘It Will Cause a Scandal.’ The Pope and a Trusted U.S. Cardinal Clash Over Sex-Abuse Crisis – Wall Street Journal 

Massive Loss Of Thousands Of Hives Afflicts Orchard Growers And Beekeepers - The Salt

‘Food and the Wisconsin Idea’ talk discusses Wisconsin farming, solutions to dairy crisis – The Badger Herald  and Food Banks Are Overflowing With Milk - Weekend Edition Sunday

Private Mossad for Hire – The New Yorker  

In Need of Workers, the Midwest Recruits From Puerto Rico - Wall Street Journal (h/t cmoore)

Alabama newspaper editor calls for Klan return to 'clean out D.C.' - Montgomery Advertiser

Bolsonaro’s Brazil - London Review of Books

How the US has hidden its empire - The Guardian

Research, Extension, and Related Matters: Title VII - USDA ERS

Early January Links

It looks like the National Championship game might end up 54-52 or something.  Here are a few links for your reading pleasure:

The Ball Family Circus Comes To Ohio - Deadspin

Chicago Catholics struggle to build future with fewer priests as parishes shrink, cash dwindles – Chicago Tribune.  Not surprising, but kind of sad anyway.

St. Louis city and county: Divorced in 1876. Remarried in 2020? – St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  The massive number of municipalities in St. Louis County is crazy.  One only has 13 residents.

Wettest-Year Records for 2018, Take Two – Weather Underground.  So much rain.

Scientists Have 'Hacked Photosynthesis' In Search Of More Productive Crops - The Salt

Putin says Russia will supply soy beans, poultry meat to China – Reuters.  Probably just bullshit to rock the boat politically, but we really are shooting ourselves in the foot. 

The Farm Bureau: Big Oil’s Unnoticed Ally Fighting Climate Science and Policy – Inside Climate News

Fracking’s Secret Problem—Oil Wells Aren’t Producing as Much as Forecast – Wall Street Journal

Trump Has Promised to Bring Jobs Back. His Tariffs Threaten to Send Them Away. - New York Times.  The steel and aluminum tariffs just punish metal consuming manufacturers.  More foot-shooting.

How Mark Burnett Resurrected Donald Trump as an Icon of American Success – The New Yorker  

Donald Trump Was Never Vetted - New York Magazine.   When people are voting for him because The Apprentice convinced them that Trump is a genius businessman, I'm not sure more vetting was going to convince them he's a fuckup.

American Exceptionalism Is a Dangerous Myth – New York Magazine. 

The Businesspeople Who Have Helped Enable Steve King’s Rise - Iowa Informer.  Looks like a who's who of Iowa business.

This Map Shows Where in the World the U.S. Military Is Combatting Terrorism – Smithsonian.  It would almost be easier to show where the U.S. military isn't.

End of Year Links and New Year's Resolutions

2018 was a pretty bad year, both for this blog and for the world.  2019 might be better, but I have my doubts.  Here are a bunch of links I've saved from the last part of the year:

My Dad's Friendship With Charles Barkley – NPR Only A Game.  This is a great read.

#CardCorner: 1958 Topps Wally Post - National Baseball Hall of Fame.  Local legend from St. Henry, Ohio.

Nebraska vs. Oklahoma State in an old-school battle in South Dakota? How did that happen? - Omaha World-Herald.  Here because of the gym.

The game of their lives was 25 years ago. They’re still replaying it in their minds. - Washington Post

How Christmas evolved from raucous carnival to domestic holiday - The Economist  

A Storm and a Strike Hit Blueberry Giant's Global Supply Plans – Bloomberg

TREADING WATER | Unfocused and underfunded, goal of cleaner water falters – Cedar Rapids Gazette

Uncertain fate awaits quirky Rochester landmark – Minnesota Public Radio

40 million Americans depend on the Colorado River. It’s drying up. - Grist

As oil and gas exports surge, West Texas becomes the world’s “extraction colony” - Texas Tribune

Oklahoma’s Future Rests in the Hands of Two Very Different Oil Billionaires - Bloomberg

Dr. Elon & Mr. Musk: Life Inside Tesla's Production Hell – Wired 

The Genius Neuroscientist Who Might Hold the Key to True AI – Wired

Bizarre ‘dark fluid’ with negative mass could dominate the universe – what my research suggests – The Conversation 

Indiana's 'broken arrow' — that time 5 nuclear bombs got caught fire – Indianapolis Star.  How we survived the Cold War I will never know.

Austin Rising - Louisville Courier-Journal.  A series on Austin, Indiana, where an HIV outbreak in 2015 linked to IV drug use shocked the Midwest.

Losing the Farm - Belt Magazine 

The Corruption of the Republican Party – George Packer

The Plot Against America – The Atlantic.  Paul Manafort

A college kid running for 13th Ward alderman gets a lesson in the Chicago Way – Chicago Tribune

The godfather of fake news – BBC

King of the Low Road – The Weekly Standard

These charts show how Democrats represent the growing modern economy – and how Republicans are left behind - CNBC 

Finally, for the resolutions.  One, I'm going to have to start exercising.  I am not looking forward to that.  Two, I'm going to have to take on a lot of maintenance projects this year.  Finally, I'm going to try to get back into regular blogging, with at least two posts a week.  We'll see how that goes.

Thanksgiving Mini-Links: Sports Traditions Edition

Here are a couple sports stories for your Turkey Day, and an Onion sweetener:

St. Dot’s vs. St. Bernie’s: A Drexel Hill football tradition spanning six decades - Philadelphia Inquirer

Doyel: Students will run for miles to maintain this Indiana basketball tradition - Indianapolis Star

How Turkey Trots Became a Thanksgiving Tradition - New York Times

Does Thanksgiving Glorify The Historical Slaughter Of The Detroit Lions - The Onion - I'm pretty sure grandpa will mention at some time during the day that the Lions used to play the Bears every year on Thanksgiving Day (not true-the Packers have a better claim for that).

Late July Links

I've been pretty lazy lately when it comes to the blog, but I've got quite a few rapidly aging links I need to use, so here you go:

Family spat leads to two town ball teams in little Milroy, Minn. - Minneapolis Star-Tribune.  I sure would have loved to have town ball around western Ohio when I was young.

The Family Ownership Dramas That Roil the NFL - Sports Illustrated.  As far as I saw, no mention of the Brown family, who beat the IRS.

How the Braves came to Buffalo – and why they left - Buffalo News.  This is a couple of years old, but has a lot of interesting historical deal about college basketball in Buffalo and the NBA as a minor professional league.

Lake surfers say polluted waves are making them sick—but they love it too much to stop – Chicago Reader

Sinking land, poisoned water: the dark side of California's mega farms- The Guardian

I Was Wrong About the Rural–Urban Divide - YES! Magazine.  It was previously noted on the blog that diary farmers were more likely to skew Democratic than other farmers in Wisconsin.

We Have No Idea How Bad the US Tick Problem Is – Wired  

Catastrophic drought threatens Iraq as major dams in surrounding countries cut off water to its great rivers – The Independent  

The Entire History of Steel – Popular Mechanics 

An ICE Raid Leaves an Iowa Town Divided Along Faith Lines – New York Times.  Evangelical Trumpians vs. Christians.

American History for Truthdiggers: Whose Revolution? (1775-1783) – Truthdig 

The fallacy of obviousness – Aeon 

How to get away with financial fraud  - The Guardian

As churches close, a way of life fades – Minneapolis Star-Tribune.  The declines in baptisms are horrific.

End of Planting Links

We had a number of setbacks that ate up a few perfectly fine days, but the weather was extremely cooperative, and everything is in the ground.  While we were working on it, I came across some stories I thought were interesting:

Who is basketball's GOAT - Lebron James or Michael Jordan - Boston Globe and Cavaliers are surviving in the playoffs despite the dilemma of LeBron James' rest - ESPN.  I'm extremely biased, but I think Lebron would be the best teammate to play alongside.

The Big Ten’s Big Business - Slate.  "Amateur."  What a crock.

The Art of Icon Writing - Baltimore Sun

Why We've Been Fighting About Milk for 10,000 Years - Time

Maple Syrup Cartel Has a Plan to Cover Shortfall - Bloomberg.  I can't get enough of the maple syrup cartel and their strategic maple syrup reserve.

The Colonel In The Kitchen: A Surprising History Of Sous Vide - The Salt

Alan Turing’s chemistry hypothesis turned into a desalination filter - Ars Technica

How the 50-mm Lens Became ‘Normal’ - The Atlantic 

The water war that will decide the fate of 1 in 8 Americans – Grist.  People who move to the desert southwest are insane.

Tech Envisions the Ultimate Start-Up: An Entire City – The Upshot.  Umm, no thanks.  I'm not sure how Beta versions of cities would work.

Kansas' Medicaid Data Is So Bad, Analysts Can't Even Tell If It's Working - Governing.  Kansas is pretty much Republican "governance" in its purest form.

Nonprofit Liberty University's "lucrative enterprise" - Marketplace.  Gaming regulations targeting for-profit colleges.

Trump is no longer the worst person in government - George Will.  On Mike Pence. Let's not get crazy, George.  Both suck in tremendously different ways.

Donald Trump declares trade war on China - Financial Times.  This will probably hit farmers hard.

Traditional Tax Day Links

Here are the latest stories for you:

James Harden Isn't Playing Around – GQ 

As dairy crisis crushes farmers, Wisconsin's rural identity in jeopardy - Dairy farmers have been getting pummeled.  I feel awful for them.

Republican Farm Bill Calls On Many SNAP Recipients To Work Or Go To School - The Salt.  Subsidies for me, but not for thee. 

Texas is making billions from oil and gas drilling, but counties say rural roads are being destroyed - Texas Tribune

Be Good or Be Gone: The Legend of McSorley’s Old Ale House - Modern Drunkard.  I've never been to McSorley's.  I will need to go the next time I'm in New York.

How a Defense of Christianity Revolutionized Brain Science - Nautilus  

Does Tech Need Silicon Valley? - California Sunday Magazine  

Two Decades of War Have Eroded the Morale of America’s Troops – The Atlantic.  This is a must-read.  My position has always been that the best way to honor our troops is to not send them to be maimed or killed in pointless, unwinnable wars.

A Saudi Prince’s Quest to Remake the Middle East - The New Yorker.  The man's PR just isn't good enough to cover for what he's really up to.

Michael Cohen and the End Stage of the Trump Presidency - The New Yorker.  I don't know, almost 46% of the voters in 2016 voted for the obviously crooked businessman, I'm not sure why even more evidence that he's a crook is going to convince them they've been conned. 

Trump’s Company Is Suing Towns Across the Country to Get Breaks on Taxes — “Trump, Inc.” Podcast – ProPublica.  See above for why voters won't change their opinions on this asshole. 

Is It the Spending or the Taxes? Mostly the Spending, But ... – Justin Fox.  In honor of Paul Ryan's (aka Bizarro Robin Hood) retirement from robbing from the poor to give to the rich.

Amid Trade Feud, Recycling Is in Danger of Landing on Trash Pile – Wall Street Journal  

Where Blue-Collar America Is Strongest - FiveThirtyEight.  This map reflects the best farm economy in a generation.  We've seen the peak, and it is going to be worse going forward. 

Early April Weekend Links

Here are a few stories from the last few days:

Playing for Pop - San Antonio Express-News

The Broncos’ Futures program saved football in Denver Public Schools. But an even bigger impact of the feeder teams might still be seen- Denver Post

“The Clock Is Ticking”: Inside the Worst U.S. Maritime Disaster in Decades – Vanity Fair.  I highly recommend this article.

So 2 Goats Were Stuck On A Beam Under A Bridge ... - Goats and Soda

Iowa producers say ethanol limits would be 'war' on rural U.S. - Des Moines Register 

The Great Lakes Are Filling Up With Giant Green Blobs - Mother Jones  

AP sources: EPA chief spent millions on security and travel - Associated Press.  Scott Pruitt is an asshat.

Humankind’s Most Important Material - The Atlantic 

How Congress Used the Post Office to Unite the Nation – Bloomberg 

The Future of America's Economy Looks a Lot Like Elkhart, Indiana - Wall Street Journal.  People are crazy, and this boom will end in tears.

Have we reached peak English in the world? - The Guardian and Brits are in denial about their diminishing importance – Handelsblatt

A Betrayal - ProPublica.  This is an awful mess.

There's no good reason to stop felons from voting - George Will (?!)

How One Man Got Rich Selling Machine Guns – Bloomberg.  Another terrible investment idea.

NCAA Championship Mini-Links

Notre Dame won the women's championship in dramatic fashion last night.  Villanova and Michigan battle for the men's title tonight.  Here are a few more interesting stories for your enjoyment:

How Loyola Chicago's Last Final Four Appearance Changed College Basketball – All Things Considered.  Interesting detail on the 1963 championship team.

Why Catholic Colleges Excel at Basketball – New York Times 

How a Baseball Revolution Happens - Real Clear Life 

Goodbye, Kansas Wheat? – Successful Farming.   Farmers may not think humans are to blame for climate change, but it still is going to wreak havoc on agriculture:

He owns land in southwestern Iowa near Glenwood, Red Oak, and Shenandoah where he grows corn and soybeans. The land is considerably more expensive, but he’s confident he can be profitable in Iowa vs. southwestern Kansas.
It’s not just an economics issue, he says. The area has become so arid and water is so scarce that it’s become a battle just to secure enough to grow even irrigated crops. 

A Dangerous Antibiotic-Resistant Gene Has Spread The World. We Now Know Where It Started - Science Alert

How this tiny Iowa town banded together save rural homes - Des Moines Register

 Robert Mercer’s Secret Adventure as a New Mexico Cop – Bloomberg  

“They Could Have Made a Different Decision”: Inside the Strange Odyssey of Hedge-Fund King Eddie Lampert - Vanity Fair  

Mobbed Up - Harper's.  On the US misadventures in Afghanistan.

How Overbuilt Levees Along the Upper Mississippi River Push Floods Onto Others - ProPublica (h/t my sister) 

Good Friday Links

Here are the latest stories I found interesting:

What the Spending Bill Could Mean for Minor-League Baseball Players – The New Yorker 

How Loyola used information and skill -- not luck -- to reach the Final Four – ESPN

Blackhawks Play 36-Year-Old Local Accountant As Emergency Goalie - Deadspin

Flint investigator says greed and fraud led to drinking water crisis – Detroit Free Press.  I'm guessing the state attorney general (who is running for governor) won't find the wrongdoing on the state level that I think probably occurred.

A Prefabricated Tragedy - Slate.  A bit simplistic in parts, but it makes some interesting points. 

The best federal agency you've never heard of: It helps manufacturers and now Trump wants to kill it - Philadelphia Inquirer

The robots are killing Tesla – Business Insider.  That's not all that's killing it, but the piece makes some very interesting points about automation.

New Ecological Economics: Superorganism and Ultrasociality-How the agricultural revolution changed the trajectory of our social and economic evolution - Evonomics

The End of Winter - The New Yorker 

More Than 75 Percent of Earth’s Land Areas Are ‘Broken,’ Major Report Finds – Motherboard

Chicago's Awful Divide - The Atlantic  

Scott Pruitt’s Dirty Politics – The New Yorker.  I hate this man with the energy of a thousand suns.

The Brutal Origins of Gun Rights – The New Republic 

Republicans Promised to Cut the Deficit. It’s Only Getting Worse – Bloomberg.  Continuing a nearly 40 year tradition.  There are some great charts about how "welfare reform" isn't going to close the deficit.

Late March Weekend Links

Well, I forgot to make my NCAA hockey predictions (and saved myself from demonstrating my ignorance), but I did read a few interesting stories in the last few days (and I forgot a few links that I was planning on including in the last links):

How Charles Koch Turned Wichita State into a College-Basketball Powerhouse – The New Yorker

Sisters of Sister Jean Embrace Her Loyola Team and Marvel at Her Fame – New York Times.  The Times has been all over the Sister Jean story.  I guess I'm not the only one who thinks cultural Catholics love a good nun story.

 How $42K-a-year priest built mansion worth millions - Detroit News.  And this is one of the reasons there are so many cultural and not practicing Catholics.

Robots Are Trying To Pick Strawberries. So Far, They're Not Very Good At It - The Salt

Offutt's former SD farm goes all-organic for General Mills - Ag Week.  Even if farmers think it is garbage, the corporate titans are buying into organic.  In other words, the consumer is steering the ship.

The last whalers - Aeon

American History for Truthdiggers: Were the Colonists Patriots or Insurgents? - Truthdig.  This is a question.  I have considered similar thoughts when reading about the nation's birth. 

Tom and Jerry – why they’re a cat and mouse double act for the ages - The Conversation

The Intellectual We Deserve - Current Affairs.  I've generally avoided the Jordan Peterson hype, but this seems like an epic takedown.

Dearborn mayor backs Ford expansion to Michigan Central Station - Detroit Free Press.  It would be amazing if this comes to fruition.

How One Houston Suburb Ended Up in a Reservoir – New York Times.  Mainly it is that the Corps didn't buy all the ground they should have, and nobody had the balls to tell developers to GTFO.

Radar images show large swath of West Texas oil patch is heaving and sinking at alarming rates - SMU Research.  This may be nothing, or it may end up being very significant.


The Democrats’ Rural Voter Problem (and How to Fix It) - The New Republic.  The argument is interesting, if flawed, but it gets at the central issue with the Democratic party: how have they ceded economically populist voters to the party of Oligarchs (it is because they have become the party of socially progressive Oligarchs)?

Everyone Tries To Dodge The Tax Man, And It Keeps Getting Easier - FiveThirtyEight.  The perfect chart for the week of National Ag Day.

Spring Snowstorm Links

Sure, it was only 4 or 5 inches of snow, but I think that was the most we've gotten in any storm this winter, and it is no longer winter.  Anyway, I was busy imbibing on St. Patrick's Day, so it took a few extra days to find enough good stories.  Here you go:

Exploring great Indiana high school gyms - Indianapolis Star.  I hate the state of Indiana, but I do think they have some very cool basketball gyms.

For St. Patrick's Day, A True Tale Of 8 Sailors Saved By Guinness – The Salt

Catholic group offers alternative to payday lenders – Columbus Dispatch.  This is something I wanted to start up.

Attack of the extreme floods – Nature

This Father-Daughter Team Says It Has a Cheaper, Safer Way to Bury Nuclear Waste – Bloomberg 

Meet the world's deadliest female sniper who terrorized Hitler's Nazi army – The Independent 

Opinion: FCC Set to Waste Billions on the Wrong Rural Broadband Providers – Daily Yonder 

The Asset – Buzzfeed News

The Last Temptation – The Atlantic

Tomgram: Andrew Bacevich, A Memo to the Publisher of the New York Times – TomDispatch.  From the 15th anniversary of the Iraq war.

The biggest Republican megadonor you’ve never heard of - Politico.  At least the Schlitz heir's governor candidate lost.

The Population Slowdown in the Outer Suburbs of the East and Midwest – NYT

Pi Day Mini-Links

I hope you had a great Pi Day.  I figured I would throw a few links up, especially since the first one involves a high seed that might not be in the tournament very long:

The Nun in Loyola-Chicago’s Huddle Has a Few Things to Say – New York Times 

Why No. 1 Virginia’s Plodding Pace Makes It Ripe for an Upset – Wall Street Journal

The EU Is Going After the U.S. Cranberry Industry – Bloomberg.  Targeting Paul Ryan's home state.

The Number of Monarch Butterflies Wintering in Mexico Is Down Again – Modern Farmer. For what it's worth, I've been avoiding the milkweed when mowing waterways and scrubland.  I've noticed more Monarchs the last couple years than I saw in previous years.

When Twenty-Six Thousand Stinkbugs Invade Your Home - The New Yorker 

Stephen Hawking Is Still Underrated – The Atlantic  

Pi Day 2018: the math of pi explained, as simply as possible - Vox

Trump's mining giveaway – Politico.  There is no better example of the ineptitude and corruption of Congress than the fact that a law as shitty as the General Mining Act of 1872 is still the law of the land after 146 years.

Canadian Amateurs Discovered a New Type of Aurora.  It’s named Steve. - The Atlantic  

NCAA Bracket

First Four: LIU Brooklyn, St. Bonaventure, NC Central, Syracuse
South Region
First Round: Virginia, Creighton, Kentucky, Arizona, Loyola-Chicago, Tennessee, Nevada, Cincinnati
Second Round: Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Cincinnati
Sweet Sixteen: Virginia, Cincinnati
Regional Final: Virginia

West Region
First Round: Xavier, Missouri, Ohio State, Gonzaga, Houston, Michigan, Providence, North Carolina
Second Round: Xavier, Gonzaga, Houston, North Carolina
Sweet Sixteen: Gonzaga, North Carolina
Regional Final: Gonzaga

East Region
First Round: Villanova, Alabama, West Virginia, Wichita State, Florida, Texas Tech, Butler, Purdue
Second Round: Villanova, Wichita State, Florida, Butler
Sweet Sixteen: Villanova, Florida
Regional Final: Villanova

Midwest Region
First Round: Kansas, Seton Hall, New Mexico State, Auburn, Syracuse, Michigan State, Rhode Island, Duke
Second Round: Kansas, Auburn, Michigan State, Duke
Sweet Sixteen: Kansas,Michigan State
Regional Final: Michigan State

Final Four: Villanova, Gonzaga
Champion: Villanova


Also, since the Irish ended up in the NIT, I'll forecast the Final Four there:
Notre Dame, Louisville, Western Kentucky and St. Mary's, with St. Mary's knocking off Notre Dame in the final.  It's not going to happen, but I'll dream.

Selection Sunday Links

Here are the best stories I saw in the last part of the week: 

Suicides, Drug Addiction and High School Football - New York Times.  Madison, Indiana

America's Basketball Heaven - ESPN 

Country Star - Washington Post

Steve Francis: I Got a Story to Tell - The Players' Tribune 

Nun Involved In Katy Perry Convent Lawsuit Collapses And Dies In Court - NPR

Deep gas bands, shapely cyclones — NASA's Juno reveals more of Jupiter's secrets – LA Times 

What scientists found trapped in a diamond: a type of ice not known on Earth - LA Times

Salk, Sabin and the Race Against Polio - Smithsonian.  An old story, but one I was wondering about recently.  

Why Are New Hampshire's Tax-Free Liquor Stores Selling So Much Hennessy? - The Salt

For many factory towns, white collar job loss hurts the most – AP News

Magnesium May Save the Town of Asbestos – Bloomberg 

This Is What Happens When Bitcoin Miners Take Over Your Town – Politico 

A New Documentary Honors the Work and Life of Photojournalist Chris Hondros - The Atlantic.  I didn't know it until after he died, but he started his photojournalism career at the local small-town paper.

China's Staggering Demand for Commodities  - Visual Capitalist 

One Shining Moment

30 years ago today, "One Shining Moment" made its debut on CBS. Here's the original version that started an incredible Tournament tradition. pic.twitter.com/NTUgfVZarW

— March Madness TV (@MarchMadnessTV) March 30, 2017

NCAA Bracket

First Four: Mt. St. Mary's, Kansas State, UC Davis and Providence

East
First Round: Villanova, Wisconsin, UNC-Wilmington, Florida, Providence, Baylor, Marquette, Duke
Second Round: Villanova, Florida, Baylor, Duke
Third Round: Villanova, Baylor
East winner: Villanova

West
First Round: Gonzaga, Northwestern, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Xavier, FGSU, St. Mary's, Arizona
Second Round: Gonzaga, Notre Dame, Xavier, Arizona
Third Round: Gonzaga, Arizona
West winner: Gonzaga

Midwest
First Round: Kansas, Miami, Nevada, Purdue, Creighton, Oregon, Michigan, Louisville
Second Round: Kansas, Purdue, Creighton, Louisville
Third Round: Kansas, Louisville
Midwest winner: Louisville

South
First Round: North Carolina, Seton Hall, Middle Tennessee, Butler, Cincinnati, UCLA, Dayton, Kentucky
Second Round: North Carolina, Butler, Cincinnati, Kentucky
Third Round: Butler, Kentucky
South winner: Kentucky

Semifinals: Villanova, Kentucky

Champion: Villanova

Groundhog Day Links

I still don't think I can write a well-thought-out political piece right now (although most readers would probably say there is no evidence I've ever been able to), but I've collected a number of good story links:

Groundhogs totally deserve their own day (even if they can’t predict the weather) - Washington Post

The Basketball Team That Never Takes a Bad Shot – Wall Street Journal

Basketball's Other 3-Point Revolution - FiveThirtyEight

In America’s Heartland, Discussing Climate Change Without Saying ‘Climate Change’ - New York Times

The Health Battle Behind A2 Milk - The Atlantic

Why The Arctic Apple Means You May Be Seeing More GMOs At The Store - The Salt

Water Quality– Iowa Case Resolves One Issue, Clean Water Act Permitting Issue Remains Open - Farm Policy News

America's Great Divergence and Red State, Blue City - The Atlantic.  

Robots Over Roughnecks: Next Drilling Boom Might Not Add Many Jobs – OilPrice

Here's One Way Trump’s Team Could Manipulate Government Data - Slate

Troubled Waters: A Coalfield County Loses Trust in Water and Government - Ohio Valley Resource

Peter’s Choice – Mother Jones

Wilbur Ross and the Era of Billionaire Rule – Bloomberg

100 years ago, Americans talked about Catholics the way they talk about Muslims today - Vox and To my Jewish, Irish, Asian and Italian friends - The Reformed Broker

The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence - Rolling Stone

Malevolence Tempered by Incompetence: Trump’s Horrifying Executive Order on Refugees and Visas – Lawfare.  The first four words will probably define the Trump administration's legacy.

It Can Happen Here – Dollars & Sense

Rural counties’ economies depend on different industries - USDA ERS

Last Weekend of Obama Era Links

I'm going to miss the outgoing President, and am not looking forward to his successor, but here are some stories to hold your attention for a little while:

In a loaded weekend, St. Mary's-Gonzaga is a must-watch - ESPN.  The WCC is one of my favorites.

Creighton Is Good As Hell Again - Deadspin.  Another favorite.

From a basketball jones to hockey: Seth Jones is in a league of his own - The Undefeated

As Big Milk Moves In, Family-Owned U.S. Dairy Farms Rapidly Fold - The Salt

The Preposterous Success Story of America's Pillow King - Bloomberg

A Woman Was Killed by a Superbug Resistant to All 26 American Antibiotics - The Atlantic
 
Rewriting the Code of Life - The New Yorker

The Trouble with Quantum Mechanics - New York Review of Books 

A Man In Need - Cincinnati Magazine.

Murder in the Bayou - Pacific Standard

Can a spy agency fight urban blight in St. Louis? - Marketplace

U.S. Farmers Sow Smallest Winter-Wheat Acreage Since 1909 - Bloomberg. (graph from Allendale)

NCAA Football Championship Links

Even though the college football season was over for Notre Dame back in September, the last game of the season is tonight.  Thankfully, Ohio State fans are being quiet, so I'll post a few interesting stories from the last week or so:

How Tom Izzo's wish to play at the Palestra created a magical day for Penn State - Washington Post.  I'd like to go to a Big Five game there someday.

College Football: Beer Sales Are Bigger in Texas - Wall Street Journal.  They need the Ohio State numbers in there.

How Do This Year's Blue Jackets Hold Up Against the 1992-93 Penguins? - Vice Sports

Farmers Get Creative in Reaping Profits - Wall Street Journal

Too Much of Weed That Feeds Forcing Wheat Farmers to Other Crops - Bloomberg

Squamscot Soda: Helping You Wash It All Down Since 1863 - The Salt

2016 Was Second Warmest Year on Record in U.S. - New York Times.  Stuff it, deniers.

Liquid Assets - ProPublica

Blood and Sugar - Texas Monthly

Becoming Michael Lewis - Washington Post

The Growing Rural-Urban Divide Around The World - The Atlantic

Why Rural America Voted for Trump - New York Times.  I'd go with that they are bad with facts and numbers, but here is another view.

The End of the Rural Hospital - Pacific Standard.  A situation which was worsened by Republican governors refusing to expand Medicaid may be made worse by the repeal of Obamacare.  

This map explains the weather we had in 2016 - Washington Post.  Not exactly, because it doesn't indicate that we had a crippling drought in late June, July and early August, but it is interesting nonetheless.