The 2010 census

The first batch of 2010 census data were published yesterday. The U.S. population now stands at over 308 million, growing 9.7 percent in the last decade. This is the slowest growth since the 1930's when the population grew at only 7.3%.

The South (14.3%) and the West (13.8%) continued to grow at above average rates, while the Northeast (3.2%) and Midwest (3.9%) growth rates were below average. The biggest gain was measured in Nevada (35%), while Texas grew fastest in absolute numbers. The Texas population rose with 4.3 million people to 25.1 million. California remains the most populous state at 37.2 residents. Michigan was the only state to lose population.

The census website has this great interactive graphic.

The lunar eclipse on the winter solstice

We watched a total lunar eclipse yesterday. The last time there was a lunar eclipse on the winter solstice was on Dec. 21st, 1638. The next one will be in 2094. So more than likely this was a once in a lifetime event.

The moon started entering the earth's shadow at 12:33 a.m. and was fully eclipsed by 1:41 a.m. We had put our patio chairs in the yard and we all were out for some good viewing.

The moon was straight above us. As the shadow progressed, the sky got darker and more stars appeared in the sky. We used the wonderful Star Walk app on Ina's Ipad to find the names of stars and constellations.

A winter concert

Greg performed with the Cockrill Middle School Sinfonietta Orchestra at the Winter Concert last night. They played Five Note Samba by Michael Hopkins and A Shaker Hymn in an arrangement by John O'Reilly. Then they performed Primitivo by Michael Story together with the CMS Symphony Orchestra.

The YouTube clip above shows Greg (third from left) at concert two months ago.

The evil jester

Sammy dressed up as the evil jester tonight for Halloween. Greg was a scarecrow with long knives for finger nails. They made the usual round through the neighborhood, collecting a bag full of candy.

A recently built house down our

street took

the prize for the best Halloween decorations. They turned their front yard into a cemetary, complete with light and sound effects, and several fog machines.

Chip-O-Rama

Sammy has been working on a science project. The purpose was to conduct a real scientific experiment. To formulate a hypothesis, to make observations and measurements, and to document and present the results.

Sammy chose to place different kind of chips in various places. He used Lays sour cream and onion potato chips, Tostitos corn tortilla chips, and Archer Farms black pepper and sea salt chips. He placed samples in the fridge, in a book shelf, in a storage cabinet, etc. and took pictures of the samples every day.

His project was due this morning. The result will be judged today at the school's science fair. Here's a picture that Ina took this morning.

Oakley

This week the world witnessed the highly choreographed rescue of 33 Chilean miners. The 69 days they had been trapped had been enough to hammer out quite a few business deals. TV stations paid for prime camera locations in the shaft and on the shuttle, and the miners created a foundation to hold the money that is now pouring in.

The best deal was struck by Oakley who donated 35 pairs of $180 shades and generated an estimated $42 million worth of publicity. The Oakley Radar sunglasses feature a single-lens shield that wraps around the eyes. This gave the miners optimal protection from sunlight — not just straight ahead but at the sides of their eyes.

Camp Grady Spruce

Sammy will go on a three day school camp to Camp Grady Spruce on Possum Kingdom Lake tomorrow. Tonight he was busy packing. His teacher provided the kids with an elaborate checklist to make sure they would not forget anything.

ATL bound

Greg's best friend Mason has been visiting us for the past week. He had stayed with us two years ago as well. Last year Greg went to see him in Georgia.

Today we took Mason to the airport for his return flight to Atlanta. It's been a fun week. The boys are caught up on everything. And they agreed that Greg would visit in Georgia next year. BFF.

Inter vs. FCD

Champions League winners Inter were playing FC Dallas tonight. The four of us saw a typical friendly game. The temperature had dropped from 107 degrees (42C) during the day to 95 degrees (35C) in he evening. Milito and Eto'o scored for Inter. Julio Cesar did not manage to stop a penalty caused by Materazzi, and Chivu gave away another goal, resulting in a 2-2 tie. Everybody happy.

The beach house

We rented a beach house in Port Aransas, just behind the dunes of Mustang Island. This is one island in a string of a coastal barrier island stretching from Galveston Island down to South Padre Island on the Mexican border.

Port Aransas is a small beach community full of sun bleached pastel beach houses, an a central loop with shops and restaurant that draw customers through aquatic extravaganzas such as framing their entrance in a large shark mouth or placing pink octopus on the roof.

We're staying in a little round house on stilts - a reminder of the ever present danger of hurricanes in the Gulf. Judging from the stuff in their home, the owners like to fish, to read, to cook and to travel. Several Delft Blue decorations and Amsterdam travel guides reveal a fondness of Holland. I think I like them.

Apollo insignias

We visited the NASA Space Center in Houston. Surprisingly, I found it more nostalgic than futuristic. Maybe it's because with the space shuttle program winding down, there is no clear goal for future missions. Maybe it's because NASA has never been able to exceed the excitement of the Apollo program that put two men on the moon in six different missions.

I actually think it's the artwork. It's very distinct with references to Greek mythology, explorer sailing ships and American symbols. The icons of the Apollo missions are for ever engraved in my memory.

NASA continued to produce great logos for subsequent programs following Apollo. I wish someone would produce a coffee table book with all NASA artwork.

Galveston

We stopped by in Galveston during a summer tour of Texas. Galveston, located on an island 50 miles southeast of Houston, once was Texas' largest city and busiest port. Hundreds of immigrants, primarily German, disembarked from ocean liners each day. Trade was prosperous, especially cotton exports, and for a while Galveston was known as the Wall Street of the South due to its robust economy and modern amenities such as electric lights, telephones, and streetcars.

Galveston's fate was forever altered in 1900 when a massive hurricane caused 6,000 deaths and ruined a third of its buildings. As a result of the devastation, Galveston's industrial and residential population shifted to Houston.

Today, the beach is Galveston's main draw for Texans surfing, swimming or fishing. Greg tried his luck fishing. The surf was a little too rough, and he lost a few hooks and lines. The hammerhead shark on the pier was proof that other fishermen had more luck that day.

KLM posters

KLM re-issued several vintage posters at the company's 50 year anniversary in 1969. My dad brought three posters home from work at Tanne - Thomsen Associates. For years, these posters decorated the walls of my bed room.

A few months ago, I stopped over in Holland on my way to Sweden. I found these posters on my mom's attic and brought them over to the US. Today I framed them. I will look for a spot for them in the media room until KLM is ready to issue new posters at their 100 year anniversary in 2019.

Best places to live

We already knew this 3 years ago, but now it's confirmed by Money Magazine: McKinney is one of the best places to live in the US. Read the review on Money Magazine, and see the entire top 10.

Protection is our game

In a repeat of the 2006 world cup, the US Soccer team was eliminated by Ghana in the round of sixteen yesterday. Later today, the most popular soccer team in the US will try to advance to the next round. Mexico will have to beat Argentina, another re-match of a 2006 round of sixteen game.

While ESPN ratings have broken records, and US Soccer made the front pages several times, corporate sponsors are mostly backing El Tri. Budweiser and insurance giant Allstate have created campaigns around the Mexican national team. The above tv commercial features Mexican goalkeeper Memo Ochoa, a cornerstone in their "Protection is our game" campaign.

World Cup Hair

Today, the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicked off in Soccer City in Johannesburg, and the stunning Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. ESPN and ABC will be showing all games in HD and 3D. Five former FIFA World Cup players – Ruud Gullit, Steve McManaman, John Harkes, Alexi Lalas and Efan Ekoku – will serve as match and studio analysts.

Gullit and Lalas analysed the France - Uruguay match. Lalas was of course starring in the 1994 and 1998 world cups, while Gullit starred in 1990 and... No, not in 1994. There's something else these two guys have in common. A common change in hair style?

Contacts

After having waited for a couple of years, Greg's optomologist finally thought he was ready to try contact lenses. Yesterday was the big day to try them on. Four hours for the first day, and two additional hours each subsequent day until he can wear them twelve hours a day. No swimming or sleeping allowed. But Greg did wear his contacts during soccer camp this morning.

A flag with N stars

Mathematician Skip Garibaldi wrote a computer program to figure out all possible configurations of stars on the US flags. To do this, he looked at star patterns of historical flags, and calculated which of the patterns works for any given number of stars.

Chris Wilson of Slate took Garibaldi's algorithm and created an interactive flag calculator based on the six most common historical patterns.

Top Kill

Each oilspill has its iconic images. Usually birds covered with oil, or aid workers bathing or hosing off seals or other animals. Or a broken oiltanker, stuck on a rocky coast.

The iconic image of the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is delivered to us by BP itself. The image of plumes of oil gushing into the gulf streamed live on the internet from cameras on remotely operated vehicles placed by BP next to the leaking well 5000 ft. under the sea have been shown extensively by al news stations reporting on the disaster.

All of a sudden, this oil disaster looks reminiscent to the spurts of ash and bursts of steam from the Icelandic Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption last month. Which of course has webcams of its own.

Below you can watch the live stream of the leak through PBS NewsHour’s YouTube channel.

Locally Grown

Walmart has become the US' largest grocery store. Their food sales now exceeds non-food. And it's not just the bland mass-produced, heavily processed items from the food industry. Walmart leads the nation in organic and locally grown food. Much to the surprise of Walmart bashers and whole food enthusiasts.

The Great Grocery Smackdown article in the Atlantic, written by Corby Kummer demonstrates that Walmart can stand up against the Whole Foods Store in blind food tests.

In our local Walmart store in McKinney, Texas, there are large "Locally Grown" produce bins. The signs show a friendly family running Wiggins Farms in Hidalgo County. Over 500 miles south of McKinney, Hidalgo County is not exactly local. But hey, Texas is a big state.

But then I notice that the "Locally Grown" bins are filled with papayas and watermelons from Mexico, and blueberries from Georgia. How local is that?

Spetters

Thirty years after its premiere, I watched Spetters again. I found it quite enjoyable - a realistic, if cynical, portrayal of youth growing up in Maassluis, just outside Rotterdam. I love the leading role for fries, croquettes, and Heineken beer in this movie. The fanfare, the yellow buses, the Europoort refineries on the horizon, the rain, the moto cross track in the Kappenbulten in Halle remind me of Holland. And then there are cameos of brands long forgotten: Bliv soap, Nolan helmets, Chappy dogfood (promoted by Barry Hulshof), Ennia insurance, and ABN Bank.

A great movies, that was causing quite a stir when it opened 30 years ago, as detailed in this story.

De statiefoto

From FC Twente Inside, October 2009:

In elke editie van FC Twente Inside besteden we in deze jaargang aandacht aan een hoogte- of dieptepunt uit de rijke historie van de club. Dit keer de apotheose van het seizoen 1973-1974. Het sterrenensemble van trainer 'Spitz' Kohn was al 30 competitieduels op rij ongeslagen toen het op Bevrijdingsdag 1974 in de Rotterdamse Kuip het gevecht aanging met Feyenoord. Het werd een seizoen om nooit te vergeten.

Het had heel wat voeten in de aarde voor "Spitz" Kohn overstag ging en de statiefoto gemaakt kon worden die uiteindelijk nooit de krant zou halen. De grootsheid van het seizoen waaraan FC Twente bezig was, zo vond toenmalig sportredacteur Wim Hesselink van Dagblad Tubantia vroeg om een grootse foto. Niet om een statische elftalfoto vlak voor een wedstrijd, maar om een statige foto met de voltallige spelersgroep, technische en medische staf, in clubkostuum, op een mooie lokatie in het twentse land.

Het werd een boerderij in Stokkum, tussen Markelo en Diepenheim, waar de groep op de late vrijdagmiddag, twee dagen voor de allesbeslissende wedstrijd tegen Feyenoord neerstreek. Het is de goden verzoeken, had Kohn in de dagen ervoor keer op keer verzucht. Hij kreeg helaas gelijk, zo bleek 48 uur later in de met 66.000 toeschouwers bomvolle Kuip.

In misschien wel het beste seizoen dat FC Twente ooit heeft beleefd, in een periode dat Ajax en Feyenoord tot de absolute Europese top behoorden en samen vier keer de cup met de grote oren naar Nederland brachten, in dat geweld bleef de Twentse voetbaltrots fier overeind en had de club zich een plek veroverd tussen de traditionele top drie van ons land. Ook daarom verbaasde niemand meer dat FC Twente op de drempel stond van het landskampioenschap. Daarom was de Kuip op deze voorlaatste competitiedag al weken tevoren tot de laatste plaats uitverkochten deed een zitplaats van zeven gulden vijftig op de zwarte markt met gemak 175 gulden. Daarom hadden zich in sporthal Deppenbroek 2300 thuisblijvers verzameld om de wedstrijd op een groot scherm te kunnen volgen. Daarom ook was de creme de la creme van de Nederlandse sportjournalistiek verzameld in de Kuip: Theo Koomen en Joop Niezen voor de radio, Herman Kuiphof voor de televisie.

De verwachtingen in het Twentse land waren hooggespannen, ook bij de spelers. "We gingen er echt vanuit", zegt Kick van der Vall vele jaren later, "dat we landskampioen konden worden. We wisten dat we zouden moeten winnen." Het doelsaldo van Feyenoord was een stuk beter (plus 26) en dus was FC Twente alleen gebaat bij een overwinning. Die kwam er niet, ondanks de mentale veerkracht die de ploeg toonde door tot twee keer toe (Van der Vall en Thijssen) een achterstand ongedaan te maken. De derde klap, de doeltreffende van Theo de Jong kwam de ploeg in het blauw niet meer te boven. Doelman Piet Schrijvers later: "Komt die bal in de korte hoek, dan heb ik hem vermoedelijk nog, Naar die bal ging naar de verre hoek, onbereikbaar voor mij."

"Het geluk was deze middag niet aan onze kant", denkt Van der Vall tot op de dag van vandaag. Die 3-2 was echt de nekslag, we zaten er op dat moment helemaal doorheen en waren niet in staat om nog een keer terug in de wedstrijd te komen. Dat jaar hadden we kampioen kunnen worden, we hadden er op dat moment ook echt de ploeg voor." "We hadden net zo'n uitgebalanceerd elftal als in '68", vertelde Eddy Achterberg. "Qua leeftijd waren we volgroeid en zaten we op ons hoogtepunt. We eindigden als tweede, notabene met 54 punten. Zoveel hadden we er nog nooit gehaald."

Terug in de kleedkamer werd de Keu 'verschrikkelijk kwaad' toen hij een paar jongens hoorden zeggen: jammer, volgden jaar beter. "Ik heb de schoenen dwars door de kleedkamer gegooid. Wat volgend jaar, er is geen volgend jaar meer. Dit had ons jaar moeten worden, hier heb ik jaren voor lopen voetballen."

De statiefoto verdween in het archief van de krant en zou er zestien jaar later, bij de samenstelling van het boek "FC Twente 25 jaar onderweg" pas weer uit tevoorschijn komen.

P, F & Y

Visitors from ATL and AMS

We had visitors over from Atlanta and from Amsterdam this weekend. Astuti and Rae were here for a couple of days. And in Texas that's enough time to see the weather conditions change from spring like to snow.

On Friday, Paul and Yvon stopped by on their way back from Mexico to Amsterdam. Like last year, they spent a few days in Texas and drove up to McKinney. A great tradition.

Mexican Coke and Pepsi Throwback

How we long for those good old days when cola was still healthy. Really? All I remember was being warned that sugary sodas were bad for my teeth. Sugar has long been replaced by high fructose corn syrup as the sweetener of choice in many products. But high fructose corn syrup is possibly worse than sugar. Not only is it just as bad for teeth and just as likely to cause diabetes. It is also linked to obesity and other diseases.

Costco has had success selling Coca Cola imported from Mexico where bottlers use cane sugar instead of corn syrup. So much success that Pepsi has now responded by launching Pepsi Throwback, made with real sugar. Oh, those good old days... Fijn dat lekker ook gezond kan zijn.

Olympic winter posters

1924 - Chamonix, France

1928 - St. Moritz, Switzerland

1932 - Lake Placid, USA

1936 - Garmisch - Partenkirchen, Germany

1948 - Chamonix, France

1952 - Oslo, Norway

1956 - Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

1960 - Squaw Valley, USA

1964 - Innsbruck, Austria

1968 - Grenoble, France

1972 - Sapporo, Japan

1976 - Innsbruck, Austria

1980 - Lake Placid, USA

1984 - Sarajevo, Yugoslavia

1988 - Calgary, Canada

1992 - Albertville, France

1994 - Lillehammar, Norway

1998 - Nagano, Japan

2002 - Salt Lake City, USA

2006 -Torino, Italy

2010 - Vancouver, Canada

Blown away

Texas is a windy place. Huge wind farms are being constructed in West Texas and the Panhandle. And further north in Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas. It shows on this chart that the Economist published this week.

De suikerpot

De finale van het American Football-seizoen heet de Super Bowl. Dat is voor prof-clubs. Voordat spelers prof worden, spelen ze eerst 4 jaar American football als student in een competitie tussen universiteiten. Deze kweekvijver van het Amerikaanse voetbal wordt ieder seizoen afgesloten met een serie finales - bowls geheten. Er zijn er wel een stuk of twintig, allemaal gespeeld rond de Kerstdagen en oud en nieuw.

Door de vele wedstrijden is het vaak niet helemaal duidelijk welke universiteit zich nu precies voetbalkampioen mag noemen. Maar niet alle bowl wedstrijden zijn niet gelijk. De laatste drie, in de eerste week van het jaar gespeeld, zijn de meest prestigieuze. Het gaat hier om de Sugar Bowl, de Orange Bowl en de Rose Bowl.

Op 2 januari 2006 streden de universiteiten van West Virginia en Georgia om de Sugar Bowl. En normaal gesproken wordt de Sugar Bowl gehouden in de Superdome in New Orleans. Maar minder dan een half jaar na Katrina waren de Superdome en New Orleans is nog niet klaar voor sportwedstrijden. Vandaar dat de Sugar Bowl werd verplaatst naar Atlanta.

Toch kwam de Sugar Bowl een beetje thuis. Tachtig procent van de bevolking van New Orleans was nog niet naar huis teruggekeerd. De New Orleaners zaten nog verspreid over het hele land, maar voornamelijk in het Amerikaanse Zuiden. Alleen al in Atlanta verbleven er 100,000. Bij familie of in tijdelijk gehuurde appartementen. Er waren nog 4000 Atlantan hotelkamers bewoond door Katrina-vluchtelingen. De meeste van hen hadden eigenlijk een nieuw leven in Atlanta opgebouwd. Ze hadden er een baan gevonden en kinderen gingen er naar school. Het was niet waarschijnlijk dat ze naar New Orleans zouden terugkeren wanneer dat zou kunnen. Dat zou hun leven voor de tweede keer ontwrichten.

Na alle ellende hadden veel vluchtelingen in Atlanta best zin in een ouderwets New Orleans-achtig feestje. En de Sugar Bowl vormde daarvoor een prima aanleiding. Voorafgaand aan de wedstrijd was er een optocht in de fameuze New Orleanse carnavals-stijl. Dus met grote wagens waar vanaf men kralenkettingen (beads) gooit naar het publiek? Nee, niet helemaal. Het gooien van kralenkettingen was verboden in Atlanta. No beads. Het is algemeen bekend dat de meest effectieve manier voor vrouwen om een kralenkettingen te bemachtigen is het ontbloten van de borsten. En dat wilde men in Atlanta liever niet. No boobs. Net zoals een andere traditie uit New Orleans, het drinken van alcohol op straat, in Atlanta niet is toegestaan. No booze, no boobs, no beads.

Osage County

Osage County is in Oklahoma, about 300 miles north of Dallas. It is also the setting of a critically acclaimed Broadway play: August: Osage County. After a two year run on Broadway, the play is now on tour. Ina and I went to see it this weekend in the Winspear Opera House in Dallas. We loved it.

Estelle Parsons played Violet Weston, the razor-tongued matriarch of a family from Pawhuska, OK. Early on in the play, Violet’s husband of more than 30 years, a poet and former professor, mysteriously walks off into the summer night, never to be heard from again. The couple’s three adult daughters are called back to the family homestead, with their husbands or boyfriends, to comfort Mother in her time of need, and try to get to the bottom of Dad’s disappearance. The result is a highly combustive mix of past, present or future emotional damage.

The Soupman

Ali "Al" Yeganeh is the original soupman. He started a small soup kitchen in Manhattan that became famous for insanely good soups and poor customer service. In fact, customer service was so bad, that he became the inspiration for Seinfeld's character "the soup nazi".

Yeganeh, who was born in Iran, has stated on numerous occasions that he is very offended by the "Soup Nazi" label. Nevertheless, Seinfeld made him famous. Yeganeh turned his soup kitchen into a successful franchise.

His restaurants still serve fantastic soups. The menu changes daily, but every day they offer one seafood bisque, a vegetarian soup, one spicy Mexican chili, and a clear broth. Then there are other soups such as barley, gumbo, goulash, and creamless vegetable soups, as well as chilled soups.

Ina had a lobster bisque and I had a lentil soup this Saturday at the Soupman restaurant in Northpark.

MUTV

Sammy has been trying out with a new soccer team. He joined training practices of United FC, a local soccer club owned and coached by Gordon Hill. From 1975 to 1985, Gordon Hill played for Manchester United, Derby County, Queens Park Rangers, and FC Twente. He has six caps with the English national team and also played for multiple North American teams.

Today's practice was moved indoors, due to record low temperatures in North Texas. Practice could not be canceled since Manchester United TV was in town this week filming a feature program on coach Gordon, the club, and the city of McKinney. The cameras were at the training sessions today filming the team in action.