Laura Rice

Enchiladas

When it’s 100 degrees in the shade, most folks look for a cool drink or two. But if you’re a Texan, you’ll also want something to eat with that – something spicy and cheesy and delicious. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Life On Mars

Recent discoveries — and ongoing drought — inspired this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Evening Walk

Is it possible to manifest cooler weather? To will it into being during the long summer months in Texas? That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Texas Standard: August 3, 2018

Pope Francis says the Catholic church no longer supports the death penalty in any case. Will that influence policy here in Texas? We’ll take a look. Also, immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S. have different odds of having those requests granted depending on where they’re asking. We’ll explain. Plus, one of the most dangerous places to work is a place where people go to get help. How Texas researchers want to make hospitals safer. And Texas used to be covered by water and there’s ancient shark teeth under your feet to prove it. Also we’ll find answers to questions surrounding the namesake of one of the state’s largest cities. Do you know whom Dallas is named for? Those stories and so much more on today’s Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 2, 2018

Credit card hacking, vote hacking and energy grid hacking… What’s actually being done to protect U-S cyber security? We’ll take a look. And the years-long effort to re-write the code that guides how the state’s capital city grows could be completely thrown out. Has it really gone so horribly wrong? Also the country’s first trillion dollar company won’t be a Texas oil giant but a tech company with a big footprint in the state. We’ll explain. Plus, how will generations to come remember Hurricane Harvey? A project designed to preserve digital stories of the storm. And a new effort to understand a mysterious and devastating phenomenon in the waters of the Texas Gulf Coast. We’ll tell you about that and more on todays Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 1, 2018

The latest Texas Lyceum Poll is focused on the mid-terms. Republican incumbents have big leads except for one. Texas Senator Ted Cruz has found a true challenger in Representative Beto O’Rourke, but will the two debate and will it matter? We’ll explore. Also, the Port of Corpus Christi has some big plans for some big ships to move a LOT of oil across the way from Port Aransas. We’ll take a look at what the people of Port A think about the proposal. And if you’ve got a kid in your life quick question: have they spent much time outside this summer? A guide to help parents navigate in a world full of tech. Plus will we finally unravel the mystery of the Marfa Lights? You’ll have to listen on today’s Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 31, 2018

The devastation was enormous: billions in damage, tens of thousands displaced. But will the anger over Hurricane Harvey impact the mid-terms? We’ll explore. Also, Texas families with children with special needs are finding it harder to access healthcare. It has to do with how and whether providers are getting paid. We’ll explain. And a state park in the Rio Grande Valley beloved by birdwatchers could close if a border wall goes up. What Texas Parks and Wildlife is doing about it. Plus those who tout ideas of racial purity often point back to a time when Europe was white, but a Texas researcher says that just wasn’t the case. And fossils aren’t just old bones. We’ll tell you all about ’em and where you can find ’em in the Lone Star State, today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 30, 2018

Retired Texas teachers say they feel let down by a vote that could mean lower pension checks. We’ll explore the impact and the next steps. Also a multi-million dollar settlement involving a Houston-area refinery accused of doing too much polluting. We’ll look at the legal moves that made it happen. Plus, the story of a small town principal jailed for murder and the questionable evidence that put him there. And when wildfires pop up across Texas it’s often volunteer firefighters that are there first to put out the flames. We’ll look at why many volunteer departments are struggling. And keep an eye on your cacti. The insects that could destroy your xeriscape, yuck up your yucca and obliterate your agave. All of that and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Work Coffee

There aren’t a lot of things in this world that are free — except, sometimes, work coffee. But is it really free? That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Squirrels Cooling Off By Laying Flat On Concrete

For a moment, you might think there has been an unfortunate accident. But, upon closer inspection, you realize: that critter is not dead — it’s simply trying to cool off in the Texas heat! That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

A Well-Chewed Pen

If you’re someone with an oral fixation, you’ll relate to the panic felt when someone asks to borrow a writing utensil. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

What Was That Roadkill?

It was gone way before you got there, all that’s left are clues — and smells. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Weeds

The nemesis of every gardener was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Rainbow Car Wash Soap

Getting your car clean feels great: not just because it looks nice, or even because the car wash is cool on a summer day. Sometimes, the very act of entering a sudsy, rainbow-colored space is its own reward. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Swarms of Daddy Long Legs

Did you ever reach up onto a shelf in a back yard storage shed, or get too close to the eaves of the house while standing on a ladder? Chances are you’ve met a few daddy long legs. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Ramadan in Texas

Hundreds of thousands of Texans have been fasting this month in honor of Ramadan. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Tubing Down A River

The temperatures are hot in Texas — time to jump into a cold body of water. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Things Shaped Like Texas

Texans tend to love the shape of Texas — and to buy items, including food, in that shape. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Texas Standard: May 23, 2018

Lupe Valdez is the Democratic gubernatorial nominee. We’ll take a look at what she faces as she sets her sights towards the November Election, and Greg Abbott. Plus, we’ll break down the runoff results and hear from the political experts about which races surprised them and which could be clues to what could happen next Election Day. We’ll also look at the conversation from the Governor’s first roundtable on how to prevent school shootings like the one that devastated Santa Fe. And we’ll fact-check some of the claims that came out in the wake of the shooting. Also, drought conditions in Texas are causing some ranchers to take dire measures. We’ll talk to one. Those stories and so much more, today on the Texas Standard: