I'm still in Kansas, Toto

Years and years ago, when I was on the faculty of the University of Texas in Austin, I had a colleague from Kansas by the name of Rob Prentice. Rob is still at UT Austin: http://www.utexas.edu/opa/experts/profile.php?id=308
Back in the day, Rob used to tell a joke about his home state: One day the wind stopped blowing and everybody in Kansas fell on their faces.

      I'm sure I laughed politely.  But only today did I finally learn the truth behind the joke.  Driving across Kansas on Route 70, I nearly got blown off the road multiple times. Stopping for gas, I thought that --- except that it was sunny and 82 --- I was back in Philly in January.  That's how ahrd the wind was howling.

      I drove past an enormous wind farm.  There must have been 100 or more windmills... the giant white towers I'd seen before all over Europe.  Kansas can make good use of all it can get.  Build more, folks.

     Earlier today I crossed through Missouri.  Some grad student in Sociology or Psychology should do a study of the giant billboards along the interstate.  Some say things such as:  "If you die today, where will you spend eternity?" and "When you face your God, will you be able to say you protected the unborn?" and "Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God."

     Then there are the other signs... the ones for Lion's Den Adult Shops, "America's Favorite Adult Super Stores": http://www.lionsdenadult.com/

     A bit schizophrenic, if you ask me.

     And, frankly, I'm surprised so many Missouri Christians are into sex, given their average size.  Earlier this year I reported here that it's said that one in three Americans is obese.  I found that hard to believe in Philadelphia.  One one six or eight... well, maybe.  Missourians definitely are skewing the average nationally.

      I stopped for lunch at a truck stop.  Little signs on the tables showed pictures of vegetables and read "We care about your health."  And, yes, there was a salad bar.  But the menu was all homefries and toast and breaded foods... and a 2 for one deal: finish one platter and just ask for number two of the same on the house.

     No wonder monsters walk that land.