Sunday Poll: Are You Currently A Paid Member Of A Warehouse Club or Online Free Shipping Club?

This is the time of year that many associate with shopping, but we all buy things throughout the year. Warehouse clubs Costco & Sam’s, both started in 1983, have millions of paid members.  You must pay an annual fee to shop at either.

In 2005 Amazon started their paid Prime service, offering “free” 2-day shipping on many items regardless of how small the amount. Paying up front for free shipping throughout the coming year was a new idea in 2005.

Out of curiosity, I’d like to know how many of you are currently paid members — or not. You can also add one not listed.

The poll will close at 8pm. Tomorrow I’ll post more on modern retailing, Wednesday will be the results from this poll along with my thoughts.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Should Height Restriction at 620 Market Remain?

Local news stories are great sources for weekly poll topics. The November 30th story ‘Messenger: Mike Shannon takes on the Cardinals in battle to sell his building‘ is the basis for today’s Sunday Poll. Here’s a summary off the issue:

• Any development at the location of the now-closed Shannon’s site is legally limited to 35 feet in height.
• This 35′ height restriction dates back to 1997 or 1966 — depending upon who you believe.
• The property is just North of the Ballpark Village site — where Busch Memorial Stadium was located 1966-2006.
• If a new owner could build a new structure higher than 35 feet the property is worth more money.
• Mike Shannon was a player and then announcer for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals offered to lift the height restriction but only if they  get a say in the site’s development.

Lots of great issues with this one, this poll will remain open until 8pm.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Should We Reconsider Reducing The Board of Aldermen?

In November 2012 more than 130,000 city residents voted on Proposition R — the measure to reducer the size of the Board of Aldermen.

Turnout for that election was 74%, but nearly 14,000 voters skipped Prop R. Turnout for the proposition was 66.9%. The following explains 2012’s Prop R:

The 14 wards called for by Proposition R would be drawn after the 2020 census. The first election in the new wards would take place in 2023. Odd-numbered wards would start with two-year terms, while the Board president and even-numbered wards would run for a full four-year term from the beginning. (St. Louis Public Radio)

This is the basis for the today’s poll:

The poll is open until 8pm.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Should The Electoral College Be Retained Or Ditched?

In Tuesday’s election Donald J. Trump exceeded the magical number of 270 electoral college votes, a simple majority of the 538 total. Why 538?

Each state has as many electors as it has senators and members of the House of Representatives, for a total of 538. (The District of Columbia gets three electors even though it has no representation in Congress.) (Source)

Thus, as states were added to our union, the total number of electoral college votes increased. U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa, do not get a vote in the presidential election.

• 50 states, each with 2 senators = 100
• 435 members of the house = 435
• District of Columbia = 3

Although President-Elect Trump exceeded 270 electoral college votes, Hilary Clinton received more total votes. Clinton received 59,938,290 votes to Trump’s 59,704,886 votes. 

Before Tuesday, the person who won the popular vote but didn’t win the presidency had occurred just four times:

1. In 1824 Andrew Jackson won the popular vote but got less than 50 percent of the electoral votes. John Quincy Adams became the next president when he was picked by the House of Representatives.
2. In 1876 Samuel Tilden won the popular vote but lost the election when Rutherford B. Hayes got 185 electoral votes to Tilden’s 184.
3. In 1888 Grover Cleveland won the popular vote but lost the election when Benjamin Harrison got 233 electoral votes to Cleveland’s 168.
4. In 2000 Al Gore won the popular vote but lost the election to George Bush. In the most highly contested election in modern history, the U.S. Supreme Court stopped the Florida recount of ballots, giving Bush the state’s 25 electoral votes for a total of 271 to Gore’s 255. (history.com)

I ask that when you vote on today’s question you don’t just base your answer on your satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the recent results:

This poll will remain open until 8pm tonight.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Would You Reconfigure The Top Deck Of The Eads Bridge, How?

Last month I attended the celebration marking the completion of work on the Eads Bridge to give it another 75 years of life.

After posting a photo to Twitter & Facebook, a discussion began on Twitter about the configuration of the top deck — it’s currently four vehicle lanes with a pedestrian part on the Arch side (South).

Today’s non-scientific poll is an attempt to see if readers have a preference about reconfiguring the bridge, or keeping it as is. This poll required visuals:

For the purpose of this poll bicyclists were not given a separate bike lane, they could take a vehicle lane or use the pedestrian area — including bike lanes would’ve have added too many options. The poll below has the above configurations listed in the same order. An unsure was added at the bottom.

The poll will be open for 12 hours, closing at 8pm.

— Steve Patterson