A list of the local issues that I will be voting on in tomorrow's election. I always feel like I'm cramming for a test, since some of the names and propositions I've never heard of.

Where I grew up in California, we'd be mailed a complete sample ballot before the election, so we could see a complete list of what and who we were voting on. Here in Missouri though, it's always a struggle to find out ahead of time what's going to be on the ballot!

St. Charles County Voter Guide

This seems to be one of the better organized providers of St. Louis area haunted attractions for this Halloween. Judging from the reviews, "Silo-X" is probably the best one this year. Weather permitting, I'll check it out this week. I'm looking forward to the part where we get to walk through a "real" missile silo. Stay tuned for my review...

St. Louis Halloween Attractions: Scarefest.com

Meme-ing for future reference. This is a 7-acre corn field near St. Louis that's been turned into a maze with over 2 miles of trails. I keep meaning to go check it out....

Great Godfrey Corn Maze

From the Office of the Secretary of State.

Missouri 2004 Election Calendar

] There are two suspected cases here in Missouri, one in
] Springfield and one in St. Louis. But the State Health
] Department says in those cases, the individuals are no
] longer showing any symptoms.

According to information from April 1st, these were a 37-year-old man in St. Louis, and a 41-year-old man in Springfield. I've been unable to locate any information as to how they came in contact with the disease, but it's good to know that there have been no new reported cases in Missouri over the last few weeks:
 http://www.kmiz.com/news/headlines/281716.html

SARS Update - Missouri

Searchable database of all cases in the Missouri judicial system.

Missouri Judiciary Case Information System

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Center for Earthquake Research and Information at the University of Memphis have updated their expectations for earthquakes in the New Madrid Seismic Zone.

The new forecasts estimate a 7 to 10 percent chance, in the next 50 years, of a repeat of a major earthquake like those that occurred in 1811-1812, which likely had magnitudes of between 7.5 and 8.0.

There is a 25 to 40 percent chance, in a 50-year time span, of a magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquake.

USGS News Release - Scientists Update New Madrid Earthquake Forecasts

Good searchable database of the Missouri State Statutes. Want to know whether or not something is against the law? Here's a website where you can go and look it up for yourself.

There are still lots of gotchas in terms of local jurisdictions, but I still like knowing the exact wording of the law, such as in cases where I'm having a debate with someone about what is and isn't legal in a nightclub or party or something like that.

Missouri Revised Statutes