It’s collectively been a tough week, months, nearly a year. This Typewriter Rodeo poem is a reminder to focus for a moment on your own humanity.
January 6, 2021
The events of this day will go down in history. How will we remember them? That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
Texas Standard: December 22, 2020
What we should know and when about a highly contagious variant of COVID-19. One of Texas’ top infectious disease experts joins us. We’ll ask Dr. Peter Hotez all we can about the latest spread of the coronavirus, the vaccine, and what we need to know here in Texas. Meanwhile, a Texas-led challenge to DACA is in court. Why it matters even though a Biden presidency is just around the corner. And redistricting will be a top priority when Texas lawmakers start the next legislative session. We’ll break down how they’ll draw maps. And we’re not letting Senator Ted Cruz get away with a bold claim without putting it through a fact-check. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: December 21, 2020
We have a winner in a hotly contested state senate election. Can it tell us anything about the Texas Republican party? We’ll explore. Also, some health care providers across Texas have now received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Next up should be nursing home patients and staff. We’ll look at how one provider is feeling about it all. And UT-Austin is changing the way it determines who gets into a certain program. How an algorithm can show bias. Also Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit too overturn some election results was a failure, on all but one front. We’ll explain. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
Farewell 2020
It has been a bit of a rough year. Some might say, “dumpster fire.” This Typewriter Rodeo poem is a (not-so-fond) farewell.
Softness Surrounding
It’s been said many times over that 2020 has been a tough year. This Typewriter Rodeo poem is a reminder to be kind to yourself.
Guacamole Chalupa With Beans, Please
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a widespread economic impact. Many small businesses have had to close their doors. This Typewriter Rodeo poem remembers one.
Perspective
The ongoing reckoning over racism in the United States inspired this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
Texas Standard: November 18, 2020
Amplifying the voices of Texas’s Black legislators. We’ll tell you about a revived effort. And remember that Texas County with no confirmed coronavirus cases? Yeah. That didn’t last. What’s going on in Loving County. Plus, how the oil bust has also led to a land value bust. How it’s playing out in the Permian Basin. And could we call what’s happening in the White House right now a coup? The answer from an expert in authoritarian regimes might surprise you. We’ll put it into context. And we’ll fact-check a claim about early voting and voter fraud. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: November 17, 2020
As coronavirus numbers continue to surge in Texas – health care providers are desperate for resources and energy for the battle ahead. Today on the Texas Standard. We’ll check in with communities across the state about the specific challenges in their neck of Texas. Plus, how one Texas university has cracked down on compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures. It’s not without controversy. And, the Irving-based Boy Scouts of America facing an uncertain future after tens of thousands lobby sexual abuse allegations. Plus, some smart brains here in Texas have figured out we can investigate the very first stars. How? I’ll go ahead and say it — it’s pretty out of this world. Today on the Texas Standard.
What To Do, What To Do
Coronavirus cases are on the rise in almost every part of the country. And even as holidays approach and pandemic fatigue wears on, experts caution it’s best to stay at home as much as possible. So what to do? That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
Social Distancing
The phrase is a regular part of our vocabulary by now. And though for some it is tempting to break the social distancing bubble, for others, it’s a very welcome health guidance because it fits with their personal tendencies. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
Fall In Texas
The weather has changed. The sights and smells of a new season bring with them memories of seasons past. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
Texas Standard: October 29, 2020
Early voting numbers in Texas have been high. Texas still leading in the raw numbers of youth turnout. But what’ll that mean come ballot counting time? We’ll explore. Plus, what’s going on at Texas Juvenile detention centers? A new complaint indicates some big concerns. We’ll have the details. And 5G is coming. You’ve probably heard it means faster speeds, but will it, really? And staying at home to watch your favorite scary movie is a pandemic-friendly option this Halloween. We’ll examine why The Texas Chainsaw Massacre might be the top choice in many homes across the state. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: October 27, 2020
There’s some hope from the left Texas could go blue in the presidential election, and some likelihood it could when it comes to the state house. We’ll explore. Also, the divisive state of politics right now has many concerned about the risk of violence on or after Election Day. We’ll dig into news Texas Army National Guard troops will be deployed. Plus, misinformation going out before an election is nothing new. But evidence it’s targeting Spanish-speaking communities. Also, when counties can turn any building into a polling place it often means many of those buildings won’t be fully accessible. And a small-town Texas story is getting its shot on the big screen. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: October 26, 2020
Coronavirus case numbers exploding in El Paso. We’ll look at how the city is trying to treat patients as hospitals reach capacity. Also, just over a week left to Election Day and it’s far from just the Presidential race on the ballot. We’ll highlight one sheriff’s race that’s heating up. Plus, transitioning from oil is something even the oil companies are thinking about. We’ll learn today why hydrogen might be a clean, but not so simple, option. And remembering Jerry Jeff Walker. Texas troubadour, Cosmic Cowboy, and misbehaving musician. Those stories plus a local debate over masks, a spooky anthology and more today on the Texas Standard:
Being Kind To Yourself In COVID Times
Risk, isolation, and grief are experiences that have been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spending some time to recognize the small things, even if painful or negative, was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
COVID Cabin Fever
The months of limited travel and social gatherings during the pandemic have meant more time at home and, for many, more time in the kitchen. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
Texas Standard: October 9, 2020
It’s Cornyn versus Hegar in a debate tonight that could influence the Texas election for the U.S. Senate. We’ll look at what to watch for. Also, we’re in a pandemic and the economy has been hit hard. But Houston area courts are moving forward with eviction cases. We’re following the story. And despite economic devastation, it’s been a record year for the Texas lottery and specifically scratch-off tickets. A look at why. Plus, what it’s like to vote from abroad, lessons learned from not-so-great Nobel prize winners, and unpacking a new poll that shows President Trump with 5-point lead in Texas. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
New Life
With everything going on in the world, the simplest and yet most miraculous thing is also still happening: new life is joining us. This Typewriter Rodeo poem was requested by a Texas Standard listener.