In the Mailbox

• AMAZING GRACE

  All praise to Bizzaro, who found this gem. I dedicate this to Mom.
  
  
  [...]
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  Posted: February 20, 2009, 3:48pm EST
  

• McCAIN GOT RICK ROLLED

  Funny... I didn't see this happen when I watched his acceptance speech.
  
  ' [...]
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  Posted: December 16, 2008, 12:23am EST
  

• BUSINESS ABOUNDS

  
  Wow. Two months. That writing gig I've talked about (see below) has kept me pretty busy.
  
  My name's all over it, so I don't mind telling you what it is now. I am a content provider for Ellusionist, an Internet-based magic training' [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2008, 1:41am EDT
  

• NEW WRITING GIG! WOOT!

  I wish I could say more. I'll be able to in the future. I landed a pretty sweet writing gig; if I pass a certain audition process, then I'll have a nifty new thing for you to check out. The gig is keeping me pretty busy, so the fiction writing [...]
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  Posted: August 19, 2008, 9:49pm EDT
  

• I CAN BECAUSE I SAY?

  
  I've been rereading "The Dilbert Future" this morning, revisiting one of the most interesting chapters in the book. Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic strip, has enjoyed some phenomenal success as a cartoonist. One of the secrets to his success, as he explains in' [...]
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  Posted: August 01, 2008, 2:46pm EDT
  

• MAILBOX DESTINED FOR FIERY ABYSS

  
  Just in case y'all didn't know, I'm going to hell. So said a candidate for U.S. Senate in Oklahoma.
  
  I interviewed Dennis Lopez, R-Thackerville, Okla., about his quest for a seat on the U.S. Senate. His run ended Tuesday night, when he came in' [...]
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  Posted: July 30, 2008, 12:51am EDT
  

• FINALLY! PICTURES!

  
  Sweet mercy! Or, as Miley Cyrus would say, sweet niblets! Whatever those are. ANYWAY... we have wedding pictures! TLP, official wife of the Mailbox, and the Mailbox invite you to check them out at our wedding blog: Bwessed Awangements. Yeah, I'm pretty good-lookin'. And [...]
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  Posted: July 29, 2008, 10:43pm EDT
  

• NEW COHORTS

  Additions to the Cohorts are:
  
  ~ After being in the Joplin media for more than two years, I have learned that everyone has a story about this guy, and everyone has a story about one of the guys behind Idiocracy Now!, namely John Hacker. About those [...]
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  Posted: July 26, 2008, 11:57pm EDT
  

• THE LOVELY PAULA HADSALL

  I guess she's TLPH now. Ah, who am I kidding. She'll always be TLP.
  
  TLP has finished the name changing rounds. She has new checks on the way, a new drivers license, a new Social Security card in the mail and -- maybe, just maybe -- a new [...]
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  Posted: July 11, 2008, 2:19am EDT
  

• ZOMBIE-MALL MEME

  You've heard the question. It's on everyone's lips, and it has nothing to do with the presidential race: "What's in Matt Blunt's e-mail that he's hiding, and that CNN is going to show?" I think I know. I don't buy rumors about a relationship with a girl (or a guy,' [...]
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  Posted: July 04, 2008, 2:09am EDT
  

• OFFICIAL MAILBOX LOST GRIPE #30

  
  While we're waiting for wedding pictures, let me get around to something I've been meaning to post for a few weeks. The Season 4 finale... wow. Really. Wow. The show went above and beyond with the way it provided answers during the last few weeks. [...]
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  Posted: June 18, 2008, 12:24am EDT
  

• POOR, NEGLECTED BLOG

  I have no excuse for waiting more than a month to post.
  
  Wait a second... I have a ton of excuses. I just got married. I just got a promotion. I've been working with a bunch of bright high-school students. I've been blogging on the wedding blog. I've been' [...]
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  Posted: June 17, 2008, 12:00am EDT
  

• OFFICIAL MAILBOX LOST GRIPE #29

  It's not that I haven't been keeping up with the eighth and ninth episodes of season four. "Meet Kevin Johnson" was kind of bland, but not gripe-worthy. "The Shape of Things to Come" had some huge WTF moments, such as Alex getting killed and Ben releasing a second smoke monster [...]
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  Posted: May 02, 2008, 12:20am EDT
  

• WELCOME MOM TO BLOGISTAN

  With apologies to Ron Davis for getting bumped off the top spot in the Cohorts, I'd like to welcome Pam Dilmore, official mother of the Mailbox, to Blogistan.
  
  Dilmore is the author behind A Good Word, a look at religious and poetic things. Mom, an ordained Methodist' [...]
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  Posted: April 21, 2008, 12:36am EDT
  

• CARD CATCHUP

  My obsession with cards started when I was three. I had a sherbet tub filled with different cards, and I used to play with them like crazy. I've collected cards ever since, although I didn't start a serious collection until I was in my 20s. My collection led me to [...]
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  Posted: April 21, 2008, 11:45pm EDT
  

• PERSONAL LIFE INVASION: IN PAIN

  I'm not physically in pain. But I wish I was.
  
  TLP is fighting a wrist condition called Kienbock's Disease. Basically, a dinky bone in the middle of the wrist loses its ability to get blood and slowly disintegrates, causing all sorts of pain and havoc. Blessedly, it's in her' [...]
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  Posted: April 12, 2008, 3:36am EDT
  

• NEW SATCH ALBUM OUT!

  I can't believe I missed it. A review is coming. Until then, enjoy the robots and puppets. And, as always, remember that this is Satriani's world. The rest of us just live in it.
  
  
  
  
  [...]
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  Posted: April 11, 2008, 12:56pm EDT
  

• I NEED A WII

  
  I have resisted getting a Wii, because they don't have the graphic capabilities of the PS3 or XBox 360. My sister got one, and I naturally felt the brotherly jealousy rise... "What? My sister has a more up-to-date video game system than ME? The guy'" [...]
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  Posted: April 10, 2008, 9:51pm EDT
  

• GREAT MOMENTS IN JOURNALISM

  This happened about a week ago in the newsroom.
  
  While writing this story, I had to open up the dictionary to confirm the proper plural form of areola. Sadly, it was edited out.
  
  It's areolae, or areolas, in case you were curious. Heck, you're more likely to [...]
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  Posted: March 14, 2008, 1:17am EDT
  

• UPDATES

  It's been a long time coming, but I've added some links to the side.
  
  About the Cohorts, my fellow bloggers. There's really no order to the list, save this: If I've met you in meatspace, you're at the top of the list. Other than that, there's really no [...]
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  Posted: March 14, 2008, 1:03am EDT
  

• OFFICIAL MAILBOX LOST GRIPE #28

  
  Wow. One of the best episodes we've seen in a while, even though we saw the return of Michael coming like a Michael Giacchino diss at the Oscars. The combo of a flashback and flash-forward made for a good punch in the gut. (A' [...]
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  Posted: March 14, 2008, 11:13pm EDT
  

• LOST CATCHUP

  A quick catchup before I write this week's gripe:
  
  ~ "The Constant": Boring episode. I've never said that about a Lost episode, but really it was. These guys think that it was one of the best episodes ever. Can you believe that? That ep was no "Tricia" [...]
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  Posted: March 13, 2008, 10:32pm EDT
  

• AN OPEN LETTER TO RANDY TURNER

  Dear Mr. Turner:
  
  Regarding your coverage of American Idol contestant Asia'h Epperson, and particularly your live-blogging, I have two words:
  
  Dude. Stop.
  
  Yeah, she's from Joplin. Yeah, we're all proud of her. She's an incredible talent with a powerful story. Because she went to the [...]
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  Posted: February 29, 2008, 11:16pm EST
  

• OFFICIAL MAILBOX LOST GRIPE #27

  
  Thursday's episode, "The Economist," told us a few crucial details. Namely, that Sayid is one of the Oceanic Six, that Ben survives and makes it off the island (assuming that vet's office is not on the island) and that just because there's an "Oceanic Six"' [...]
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  Posted: February 16, 2008, 3:17pm EST
  

• OFFICIAL MAILBOX LOST GRIPE #26

  ABC.com has a couple of interesting sneak peeks about the next episode of Lost. Apparently, Hurley gets left behind and Sayid finds something interesting on Naomi's body, which will soon be corpsified and gross. But I will gladly miss the next episode, cuz TLP and' [...]
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  Posted: February 10, 2008, 9:54pm EST
  

• OFFICIAL MAILBOX LOST GRIPE #25

  
  Season 4 is here. Huzzah! Only eight episodes. Boo.
  
  No need for a recap, because there hasn't been a lot to recap. Only that six people made it off the island, and the survivors aren't getting rescued. Nothin' big.
  
  Before getting [...]
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  Posted: February 07, 2008, 10:44pm EST
  

• INSOMNIA SUCKS

  Having a chest cold just complicates an old problem.
  
  It's one thing to lie in bed, eyes wide open, neurons firing like guerillas, wondering when I can finally get to sleep. It's another to have all that going on with my chest making noises like a flatulent, emo [...]
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  Posted: February 06, 2008, 2:57am EST
  

• CONSCIENCE CRISIS

  
  Yep, that's me. Fanning a deck of Shadow Masters from Ellusionist. Doing an intentionally bad impression of David Copperfield.
  
  Those of you who know me know that I love to collect decks of playing cards, and that I have more than 200 [...]
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  Posted: January 24, 2008, 12:13am EST
  

• COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: MO NOT ALONE

  Missouri is not the only state considering collective bargaining. Reporter Andy Vuong of the Denver Post details the work being done by the state of Colorado, after Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter enacted collective bargaining by executive order. The directive he issued in November gave the right to about 30,000 state [...]
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  Posted: January 07, 2008, 11:47pm EST
  

• BLUNT: NCLB REWORKING 'NOT GOING VERY WELL'

  Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, was in Joplin on Dec. 26 to talk about changes to the IRS tax code that would affect early filers. While he was here, he talked about the ongoing efforts to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act. His words: "It's not going very well. [...]
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  Posted: January 03, 2008, 9:51pm EST
  

• MSTA REP: LIST OF BEST SCHOOLS UNNECESSARY

  Kim Wencewicz, of the Missouri State Teachers Association, questioned whether a recent list of the top 100 high schools from U.S. News and World Report was really necessary, and would probably "line the bottom of the bird cage." From her MSTA blog entry:
  
  "Why are lists like [...]
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  Posted: January 03, 2008, 9:49pm EST
  

• TOP TEN EDUCATION STORIES OF 2007

  My first year as a reporter for The Joplin Globe started and ended with ice storms. Throughout the year, schools celebrated accomplishments and dealt with problems. My first year with the Globe has led me to meet many wonderful people, working hard to educate kids. It's been my pleasure to [...]
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  Posted: January 03, 2008, 9:42pm EST
  

• LOT GOING ON

  Forgive me readers, for I have sinned. It has been more than a month since my last posting. There's some interesting things in the works that I hope pan out, so don't give up on this site yet. Job's going great, TLP is still wonderful.
  
  If you want to [...]
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  Posted: November 28, 2007, 6:42am EST
  

• FOX PULLS 'DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN'

  
  Whoops.
  
  This picture is a screen capture from NFL highlights of the game between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints on Sunday (Saints win! 22-16!). There, in the lower left, you'll see an advert for Game 1 of the World [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2007, 11:13pm EDT
  

• MOCKERY OF TYPOS SURGES

  If there's any curse about being a journalist, especially one who has spent time as a copy editor, it's how typos, bad spellings, awful grammar and misused punctuation stand out like an awkward interview. If there is any joy, it's being with a woman who sees the same [...]
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  Posted: October 18, 2007, 11:53pm EDT
  

• LOBBYIST HELPS FUND STATE'S DEFENSE

  Costs for a lawsuit against the state over funding education have already surpassed $4.6 million. The story is in today's Globe.
  
  After I wrote the story, I received an e-mail press release from the Children's Education Alliance of Missouri, which states that lobbyist Rex Sinquefield helped [...]
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  Posted: October 15, 2007, 1:14am EDT
  

• SENATOR: MSSU SHOULDN'T BE A UNIVERSITY

  Missouri Sen. Ed Robb, R-Columbia, may have some 'splainin' to do.
  
  The Columbia Tribune's Jason Rosenbaum blogged about how Robb allegedly told a Mizzou students' group that Missouri has too many universities (scroll down the page a tad). While a College Democrat spilled the news in a [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2007, 11:59pm EDT
  

• OH, MY NOLA...

  
  I'm remembering what it's like to be a Saints fan. Three losses, no wins? Ouch. That hasn't happened since Ditka.
  
  A fellow fanatic, only inclined toward the Bears of the Windy City, warned me that if Reggie Bush or Drew Brees went down, [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2007, 1:15am EDT
  by MoJoe

• QUICK HITS

  A few random bits:
  
  ~ I've been interested in "The Tirade," an outburst by Oklahoma State University coach Mike Gundy against Oklahoman sports columnist Jenni Carlson. She wrote a column that upset Gundy, leading him to launch a missive against her during a press conference. Gundy [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2007, 12:51am EDT
  by MoJoe

• MSTA: BLUNT'S METS INITIATIVE LATE TO GAME

  I found an interesting post on the Missouri State Teachers Association blog about end-of-course exams, and the Blunt administration's blunt attempt to force privately-determined findings into public policy.
  
  Angie Hull, school policy specialist with MSTA, expressed frustration at a team of METS members (Blunt's Math Engineering Technology [...]
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  Posted: September 20, 2007, 11:08pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• PERSONAL LIFE INVASION: SHE SAID YES!

  Number of comments: 2
  I'm a little late posting this, but I got engaged to TLP last month. I'm thrilled that she said yes! Plus, she is appealing to my inner geek by agreeing to keep our wedding notebook in blog form.
  
  I know! She is perfect for me.
  
  So, that means [...]
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  Posted: August 29, 2007, 9:37pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• DJ TO RUN FOR MAYOR

  Number of comments: 1
  Jay Shannon, on-air personality for 100.5 The Wolf, told the Nixa Xpress that he wants to run for Nixa mayor. Current mayor Doug Marrs said he will not seek another term.
  
  In the article, Shannon said this was "not some dumb, stupid radio publicity [...]
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  Posted: August 24, 2007, 8:27am EDT
  by MoJoe

• IPOD SHUFFLE RISES IN RADIO RATINGS

  Full disclosure: I am biased against radio stations with no on-air personalities. That's why I'm shocked and appalled that 95.1 Mike-FM passed KSYN 92.5 in the most recent Arbitron ratings for Spring '07. After all, the station is nothing but an iPod Shuffle with commercials. And it advertises itself [...]
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  Posted: August 15, 2007, 9:49pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• CHRISTIAN HOMAGES IN FINAL 'POTTER'

  Gregg Easterbrook, otherwise known as Tuesday Morning Quarterback, makes some brilliant points in his football column this week.
  
  You'll have to scroll down to find them, because dude writes one of the best, and longest, football columns in America. He is the only known football columnist who [...]
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  Posted: August 08, 2007, 1:43am EDT
  by MoJoe

• IMMATURE FUN WITH DOUBLE ENTENDRES!

  Number of comments: 1
  This here blog has been too serious for a while, so it's time to introduce a healthy dose of immature fun.
  
  You know when you're talking to a group of friends and someone says something vaguely dirty, then someone else in the group snickers, the first one is like, [...]
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  Posted: August 06, 2007, 6:33pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• OKLAHOMA'S NEW VEGGIE: WATERMELON

  Number of comments: 2
  
  Remember how you felt when you found out that tomatoes were fruit, pumpkins were vegetables and Soylent Green was people? Throw this in that category: Oklahoma has officially declared watermelon to be the state vegetable.
  
  Not surprisingly, there was partisan debate when [...]
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  Posted: August 06, 2007, 3:07am EDT
  by MoJoe

• CIA, NSA SAY BLOGGERS ARE JOURNALISTS

  Though surprising, it makes perfect sense that the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency would weigh in on the debate about whether bloggers are journalists.
  
  The above-linked story reveals that both agencies have changed their policies to treat bloggers as journalists. Bloggers now qualify for the same [...]
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  Posted: August 02, 2007, 7:48pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• ROWLING'S PORTRAYAL OF JOURNALISTS: RIDDIKULUS

  I've read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," and my review is below. It contains spoilers. But before I get to that, I'll share an interesting Potter-related press release I came across.
  
  Interesting study from MU released today: Apparently, Rowling's portrayal of journalists doesn't [...]
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  Posted: August 01, 2007, 11:17pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• HUGE RUBBER DUCKY INVADES OZARK

  Number of comments: 2
  
  Sure looks that way, according to this picture from this week's Christian County Headliner News. The story is about an upcoming rubber-duck race. The photo looks like it could feasibly be about this movie.
  
  That, class, is the reason news photos should [...]
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  Posted: July 25, 2007, 6:20pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• STUDENT APPEALS ONE-YEAR PUNISHMENT

  A Carthage student is appealing his suspension over a gun-related incident. Susan Redden writes the story in today's Globe.
  
  In a nutshell: Junior Stefan Hukill fired an Airsoft pellet gun at a friend in May. He was on Main Street in Carthage, his gun was clear plastic with [...]
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  Posted: July 25, 2007, 2:32am EDT
  by MoJoe

• GINORMOUS ADDITIONS TO DICTIONARY

  Number of comments: 1
  I can see my grammarphilic friend Red Pen Inc. cringing over that headline, and how it uses a made-up word.
  
  Only, it's not. "Ginormous" is in the 2007 edition of the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, along with "sudoku," "crunk," "hardscape," "perfect storm," "Bollywood" and "nocebo." Strangely enough, the [...]
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  Posted: July 25, 2007, 12:38am EDT
  by MoJoe

• PERSONAL LIFE INVASION: VAY-CAY

  The Mailbox will be off on holiday for a few days. I don't plan on posting, so check back around July 16. I'll bring y'all back some seashells.
  [...]
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  Posted: July 06, 2007, 12:37am EDT
  by MoJoe

• HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FOIA

  Happy Independence Day. I can think of no better way to celebrate our independence than by thanking our forefathers for the First Amendment's freedom of speech and reminding everyone about the freedom of information.
  
  On this day, 41 years ago, a brilliant piece of legislation was signed into law. [...]
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  Posted: July 04, 2007, 12:51am EDT
  by MoJoe

• IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT MEME

  Dagnabbit. I got tagged for another vicious meme. This one: "Eight things you'll regret asking about." So I have to write about eight things that are deep, dark, TMI blurbs of info? Fine, Ron. But I'm not telling them about the photo shoot using clothes from Town and Country.
  
  [...]
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  Posted: July 03, 2007, 12:53am EDT
  by MoJoe

• PUTTING THE E IN EDUCATION

  The U.S. Department of Education wants to know what you think about technology in the classroom. The department is seeking input from people on their Web site, as to what role they think tech should have in our schools.
  
  Already, Southwest Missouri classrooms are pretty wired. [...]
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  Posted: June 28, 2007, 11:47pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• QUICK HITS; MEDIALAND CORRESPONDENT NEEDED

  Apologies for the drizzle of posts. I've been working serious overtime lately. No gripes here... I'm saving up for something sparkly. More about that later. :) For now, here's a few quick hits:
  
  ~ Riverview Gardens is the latest district to lose its accreditation. The Missouri Department of [...]
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  Posted: June 22, 2007, 12:46am EDT
  by MoJoe

• BLOGGER GOES MAINSTREAM: DAVIS TO LEAD KSPR

  One of Springfield's best has accepted a position with one of Springfield's worst.
  
  Ron Davis, chief wordmonkey at the Chatter blog, has accepted a position with KSPR-TV as a senior producer. KSPR, recently purchased by the same company that owns KYTV, has long suffered at [...]
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  Posted: June 20, 2007, 12:34am EDT
  by MoJoe

• INTOLERANCE FOR ZERO-TOLERANCE

  Zero-tolerance policies are coming under fire. According to this Associated Press story, people are losing faith in the policies, most instituted as either platforms against drug use during the Reagan years or hastily implemented after the Columbine tragedy. Lawmakers in Texas, Mississippi and Utah are scaling back some of [...]
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  Posted: June 16, 2007, 1:12am EDT
  by MoJoe

• BlZARRE BLUNT NO-SHOW BLAMED ON WEATHER

  Number of comments: 1
  Governor Matt Blunt was supposed to be at West Central Elementary today at 5 p.m., for a ceremonial signing of House Bill No. 2. Less than two hours before the event, his office sent an advisory, canceling the event because of "inclement weather and tornado warnings" in the Joplin area.
  [...]
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  Posted: June 16, 2007, 12:56am EDT
  by MoJoe

• JOPLIN SENATOR NAMED TO POWERFUL POST

  Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, was named chairman of the budget appropriations committee today by Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons. The position will put Nodler in charge of the Senate committee in charge of drafting the budget.
  
  Nodler was recently credited with rescuing the MOHELA [...]
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  Posted: June 13, 2007, 6:34pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• HUZZAH! MST3K SNARK RETURNS

  MST3K is back!
  
  Well, sorta.
  
  Wired News reports that the creators of Mystery Science Theater 3000 have returned with more snarky comments about popular B-movies. At Rifftrax.com, you can download Mike Nelson's commentaries and listen to them alongside many popular DVDs.
  [...]
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  Posted: June 11, 2007, 7:01pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• SYSTEMATIC CHAOS: A REVIEW

  Dream Theater used to have a message board on their Web site. It was filled with passionate users who had frank, brutal opinions about their favorite band. When Octavarium came out, the board was filled with people slamming the album, calling it full of ripoffs. Nevermind [...]
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  Posted: June 09, 2007, 2:08am EDT
  by MoJoe

• MOHELA PETITION-DRIVE WITHDRAWN

  The MOHELA founder who submitted a referendum to put Gov. Matt Blunt's "Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative" to voters has given up. The story is in today's Globe.
  
  Politically, John Hancock of Missouri Pulse said that Democratic opponents have only legislation available to stop the sale. Before [...]
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  Posted: June 06, 2007, 12:14am EDT
  by MoJoe

• AUDIO BLISS, GEEKING OUT

  Number of comments: 1
  What a wonderful day. Systematic Chaos is out. I'll have a review later.
  
  I went to get it during lunch (heck yeah, I bought the special edition with the bonus CD/DVD that has a making-of documentary and every track in Dolby 5.1!) and brought it back to [...]
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  Posted: June 06, 2007, 11:38pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• HARD TO BLOG ANONYMOUSLY

  The blogger behind thinkingthings found this story from the Boston Globe which should throw more gasoline on the fire started by the Springfield News-Leader, when it suggested that bloggers should sign their names to their blogs. Just about everyone in the Ozarks province of Blogistan has thrown [...]
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  Posted: June 04, 2007, 12:13am EDT
  by MoJoe

• 'UNCONFIRMED REPORT' OR 'FALSE ALARM?'

  Blogger Joshua Rosenau, he who thinks Thoughts in Kansas, passes on some thoughts about KU's updated security since the VT shootings. Specifically, KU's public safety department sent out what Rosenau was a false alarm about an alleged rifleman on the campus. He criticized all the fuss over [...]
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  Posted: June 03, 2007, 10:44pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• OFFICIAL MAILBOX LOST GRIPE #24

  With the conclusion of "Through the Looking Glass," the third season of Lost ends on an intriguing note. The ending didn't initially sit well with the Mailbox, but the more it thought about it, the more kick-butt it became. By having Jack in a "flash-forward," and because of what happened [...]
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  Posted: June 02, 2007, 12:30am EDT
  by MoJoe

• RESEARCH: STEREOTYPES DAMAGE PERFORMANCE

  The Chicago Sun-Times reported an interesting story about stereotypes damaging a person's performance. A University of Chicago study shows that the popular stereotype of boys being better at math than girls affects girls' performance and ability to do math. The results were published in the current issue of [...]
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  Posted: June 01, 2007, 12:14am EDT
  by MoJoe

• SPACE MONKEYS, ANGRY NERDS, EMO ORANGES

  Man, did I have a great idea for a blog entry tonight. A brilliant post about sex education in Missouri schools, a recent bill that passed, a Congressional study about abstinence-only education and, um, well, monkeys. Terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose. I know, it's complicated.
  
  But [...]
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  Posted: May 31, 2007, 11:47pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• FACEBOOK 101 FOR NOOBS

  An innovative approach to computer education is taking place at America's universities. The Wall St. Journal reports on how students are beginning to study social computing. Like classes on video game design, this is an attempt to make "technology studies relevant to students' lives," according to the article.
  [...]
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  Posted: May 30, 2007, 1:06am EDT
  by MoJoe

• NEW MATH IN INDIA IS REALLY OLD

  
  Take a glance at a clock with a second hand. Now, what is the square of 115?
  
  How long did it take you to get 13,225? It probably took some Indian students only a second.
  
  Kamlesh Shetty told Wired News how he [...]
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  Posted: May 29, 2007, 11:20pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• PREVAILING-WAGE BILL DOESN'T PREVAIL

  Rep. Marilyn Ruestman, R-Joplin, submitted a bill that would let school districts opt out of paying prevailing wage to construction workers. It never got farther than a committee hearing.
  
  Union workers are likely sighing with relief, but smaller school districts will likely be disappointed. Ruestman estimated that [...]
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  Posted: May 28, 2007, 12:44am EDT
  by MoJoe

• PERSONAL LIFE INVASION: MEMORIAL DAY

  It's nice to have a holiday. And it's only Sunday night. But, I've been fighting a virus on my compy all day, and finally got it pegged without having to do a format C. Woot! Still, I haven't yet been called into the office, so tomorrow looks like a [...]
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  Posted: May 28, 2007, 11:00pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• UNDECIDED: DRAGONFORCE

  I don't know what to think about DragonForce. Go ahead, watch the video below.
  
  
  
  I was told that DragonForce is the new Dream Theater, so I had to check the band out. I've watched all the videos and listened to all the songs that I [...]
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  Posted: May 13, 2007, 11:52pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• WHEN PROG-ROCK AND PROMOTION UNITE

  What a difference a new record company can make.
  
  Dream Theater signed with Roadrunner Records for their upcoming album, Systematic Chaos. Since that time, they have started a MySpace page (finally), released a song as a free mp3 (kick-ass), requested bootlegs for [...]
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  Posted: May 11, 2007, 11:16pm EDT
  by MoJoe

• PERSONAL LIFE INVASION: GOODBYE NIXA

  It's been real, crossroads of Christian County.
  
  The next time this computer is plugged in, it will be drawing power from Empire District Electric Company in Joplin. I have family from Tennessee and Kansas helping with this 80-mile move, and I can't thank them enough. Tomorrow, we'll load up [...]
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  Posted: April 29, 2007, 12:55am EDT
  by MoJoe