Lady Bird Johnson: the Wildflower First Lady

Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson passed away yesterday. She was 94.

As a native Texan, I was impressed by her strength and grace during some tough times, but I loved her old man for the civil rights legislation and pushing a Great Society agenda.

As for Lady Bird, she was the first environmentalist First Lady in my lifetime by focusing on planting wildflowers near roads, both major and minor. The Bluebonnet and Indian Paint trails near College Station and Austin are testimonials to her.

Hope she is enjoying an iced-tea with Molly and Ann.

I'll be putting up a Texas flag at my house later.

Peace to LBJ's family as they grieve their loss.

Update: I just read the LBJ Ranch has been turned over to the public. What a nice gift!

John Edwards on Science

Coturnix, aka, Bora Z, and fellow JRE supporter, got an e-mail interview with JRE last week. JRE answered questions regarding science and technology policies in an Edwards Administration. The questions are succinct and genuine, and are answered as such.

http://scienceblogs.com/clock/2007/07/exclusive_interview_with_senat.php

Bora also is now the Public Library of Science Online Community manager. PLoS is very important for scientists in getting out their cutting edge research as quickly as possible and committed to doing so for free. Bora is a scientist himself, so this role is perfect for him. We in the library world who have to deal with scholarly communication issues in science welcome him.

Fellow Texan Jim Hightower Lauds John Edwards

Great commentary from him here.

My favorite part:

"Never mind that Edwards learned about poverty the hard way, having grown up in it. And never mind that he rose out of personal deprivation not by kissing corporate butt, but by battling some of the country’s biggest corporations on behalf of the poor and the middle class."

New Blog Too Good to Pass Up

It's called Dogs Against Romney. Check it out.

Many of BW readers may not know that Romney stuck his dog in his carrier on the top of his car and drove it all the way to Canada not long ago. Not good for the pooch or nice to read either. Romney didn't seem too concerned. (hat-tip to Chancelucky)

My friend Rox63, who lives in Massachusetts and had to live through a Romney governorship, passed this on to me.