10 Comment

• luciaphile November 13, 2012 at 10:16 am

  I just read that November 7, 2000 has the distinction of being the last day no one died on the roads of Texas. It’s a tiny bit interesting that we are so sanguine about this sacrifice, that doesn’t lend itself to cant.
  (Truthfully I’m glad it doesn’t, pointless public service announcements/campaigns being one of the more tedious features of modern life.)
  For those concerned about the welfare of their cars and trucks — the feral hogs proved an immediate menace within a few hours of the opening of 130:
  http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/words-of-warning-about-wildlife-going-up-on-texas-/nSynf/
• AMD November 13, 2012 at 12:46 pm

  Does anyone know which architectural firm was awarded the TSU Student Dorms?
• Frank November 13, 2012 at 1:46 pm

  The hogs were there first so I suppose 130 is what proved to be the menace.
• Here piggy piggy pig November 13, 2012 at 5:04 pm

  Since the hogs are an non-native, introduced species, they aren’t supposed to be there in the first place.
• Frank November 13, 2012 at 8:29 pm

  …as opposed to the naturally-occurring, native Texas 85 mph tollways.
• Mel November 13, 2012 at 8:38 pm

  #4- since the non-native humans introduced the pigs, I’d say its a draw.
• luciaphile November 14, 2012 at 6:37 am

  According to a report from “AgriLife” (formerly known as the the Ag Extension Service) about 29% of the wild hogs in Texas are eradicated each year, and with that check the population will double to 5.2 million in five years. However, extending the prevailing “logic” of the pro-population growth crowd, the damage the hogs do to land throughout much of the state is not a problem because all of the hogs would easily fit in a couple square miles.
  Interestingly, according to E.O. Wilson, although humans now account for a quarter of the world’s animal biomass, we may yet be outweighed by all the ant species collectively.
• luciaphile November 14, 2012 at 8:15 am

  I should clarify that last assertion: terrestrial biomass. I can hardly believe even that, though. I was just dimly recalling what the Late Night Reader Who Had to Share said, and I remember murmuring “What about cats?” and “What about fish?” and he says all he remembers saying is that Wilson claims the biomass of humans is greater than any other vertebrate in history by a factor of ten; but he (Reader) wouldn’t put it higher than 3%. And the book went back to the library, so I don’t know.
• toasty November 14, 2012 at 9:15 am

  #3-6: the earth is non native. billions of years ago, there were just dust particles, won’t anyone think of the dust particles??!
• Tom Plant November 14, 2012 at 1:32 pm

  A big thank you for linking to my blog again. I try to provide insight into what is happening in Houston’s residential real estate market, especially inside Loop 610.