Nineteen year ago I started this blog as a distraction from my father’s heart attack and slow recovery. It was late 2004 and social media & video streaming apps didn’t exist yet — or at least not widely available to the general public. Blogs were the newest means of …
The new NGA West campus , Jefferson & Cass, has been under construction for a few years now. Next NGA West is a large-scale construction project that will build a new facility for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in St. Louis, Missouri.This $1.7B project is managed by the U.S. Army …
Book publisher Island Press always impresses me with thoughtful new books written by people working to solve current problems — the subjects are important ones for urbanists and policy makers to be familiar and actively discussing. These four books are presented in the order I received them. ‘Justice and …
This post is about two indirectly related topics: the new Siteman Cancer Center building under construction on the Washington University School of Medicine/BJC campus and an update on my stage 4 kidney cancer. Let’s deal with the latter first. You may have noticed I’ve not posted in three months, …
Recent work downtown has been mostly good for pedestrians, but Saturday night my husband and I found an awful corner: the NE corner of Market & Broadway. This is the SW corner of the Old Courthouse. I;m not sure who gets the blame, the possible culprits are city streets dept, city board of public service (BPS), MoDOT, National Park Service, or Gateway Arch Park Foundation.
Most new work has gotten away from placing one curb ramp at the apex at the corner, instead doing a ramp/crosswalk to cross each street. This improves ADA-compliance and reduces inconveniences for all pedestrians.
We had to cross the ramp on the NE corner of Market & Broadway as we crossed Broadway. Both times the ramp was full of pedestrians waiting to cross Market. Both times I had to ask others to move.
Heading back to Kiener Plaza I snapped this photo of the crowd at the corner, two guys on the left are avoiding the crowd at the corner by walking in the street — not an option for those of us who use mobility devices.
In this crowed view you can see hoe the one crosswalk is angled to meet the sole curb ramp.
The idea is to get Arch visitors to start in Kiener Plaza, so this corner should see many pedestrians. It amazes me each crosswalk doesn’t lead to its own curb ramp.
No, I’m not amazed. I’ve experienced first hand how even brand new work ism’t designed by people who think like pedestrians.
The Cardinals publicized a plan to adopt the good-luck cat. He would live in the Cardinals Clubhouse and be pampered by the team, officials with the team said.
But alas, it won’t be so.
Public conflict between the birds and the cat lovers who captured Rally Cat have led to irreconcilable differences.
The cat nonprofit claims the Cardinals organization has the wrong priorities. (Post-Dispatch)
August 25, 2017Accessibility, Featured, ParksComments Off on Wheelchair Users Locked Out Of St. Louis Public Park
Since moving downtown nearly a decade ago I’ve spent a lot of time in Lucas Park, just two blocks to the East. Unfortunately, the city has me locked out of the park. Lucas Park has four entrances — two along the South edge off Locust St, and two along the North edge off St. Charles Sr. The city’s parks department keeps the two South gates locked and opens the North gates during the day. The problem is the two North gates both have steps.
When I first began visiting Lucas Park only one ramp existed — the South entrance nearest to 14th. When the dog park was added a 2nd ramp was installed near the North entrance nearest to 13th. That pedestrian gate gas unlocked by the nearby gate at the ramp does not. It’s impossible for me, while using my power wheelchair, to use Lucas Park.
The SW gate is locked on Wednesday August 23rd @ 8:32am.
The NE gate for the ramp was also locked
An hour later, on the way home from the grocery store, the park still looks inviting.
Wednesday I emailed the first two photos to a couple of city officials and posted them to social media. Yesterday was also a very nice day, I tried to visit the park again on my way to the grocery store.
A couple of people were working out in the park at 1:50pm
Again, the SW gate to the original ramp was locked
The NW gate was unlocked
It has steps down
The NE gate to the newer ramp was locked
The NE gate with steps was wide open
I can see into the park, I just can’t get inside
The SE gate was locked.
As I understand it, city parks dept employees come out to unlock the NE & NW gates, but don’t unlock the NE gate for the ramp. I don’t think this is deliberate, just another example of people not thinking.
August 23, 2017FeaturedComments Off on The Total Eclipse In St. Clair MO
Today I’m staring a few eclipse photos from Monday. We decided to go to St. Clair Missouri. My husband had to work early that morning, we left around 10:39am stopping only for fuel. WE arrived in St, Clair around noon. Traffic seemed slightly heavier, though neither of us drive much beyond I-270 on a regular basis.
I’d studied the centerline and wanted to be near it.
The blue line represents the center of the 73-mile wide path of totality, thw red star the point where we were.
WE joined a few others in the parking lot of an old motel that is for sale.
It was bright and sunny at 1pm.
Seventeen minutes later is was dark and the temperature drop was noticeable,
The drive home was considerably longer, with only a few points we reached the speed limit. Everyone was cautious and patient.
Our round trip was about 5 hours — for less than 3 minutes of totality. I didn’t think I’d be able to, but I saw the partial eclipse with a combination of my prescription glasses and eclipse glasses. During totality it was amazing.
August 21, 2017FeaturedComments Off on Total Eclipse Today, Next One In 2024
Today’s total solar eclipse is a once-in-a-lifetime event. there hasn’t been an eclipse in the St. Louis region in the last 400 years. Carbondale IL, a 2 hour drive, is a good viewing spot today. Can’t get out of work for this once-in-a-lifetime event? Mark your calendar for Monday April 8, 2024. That’s right, another total eclipse will cross the United States, including Carbondale, IL
Yes, just 2,422 days until the next eclipse!
Those not in today’s path of totality will not experience the moon’s shadow the way the rest of us will. I tried on my solar glasses and to my eyes, with early cataracts, was a tiny spot. I’m not going to look up at the sun, today I want to experience day become night, and then back to day a couple minutes later. I want to feel the temperature drop.
This image shows how the total eclipse will go through part of the St Louis region.
Lots of areas in South St. Louis within the path of totality
Eclipse2017.org explains why you need to be within the grey path of totality:
Our task is to convince people who are not in the path of totality, that they simply must travel into the path, in order to see one of the most spectacular things they will ever see in their life. The task is difficult, because it is natural to believe that if one is “close” to the path, one will see something that is “pretty good”. But just as the person who only smells the meal outside the steakhouse remains hungry, so too do those who observe the eclipse from outside the path of totality end the day wondering what, indeed, all the fuss was about.
For those who choose to experience this eclipse outside the path, a partial eclipse is all they will see. Even if the sun is 99.9% eclipsed for these observers, they will not experience the full, jaw-dropping, knee-buckling, emotionally-overloading, completely overwhelming spectacle that is totality.
Partial eclipses are somewhat interesting, in that with the proper eye protection (which MUST be used at all times), one can see the moon moving slowly across the face of the sun. But there is no climax, no culmination of the event, no exhilarating moment of true beauty in the sky above them. The event is not memorable, not life-changing, not anything to inspire one to join the ranks of “umbraphiles” – “shadow-loving” persons who travel the world to the most remote locations, in anticipation of experiencing those few fleeting seconds of wonderment inside the shadow of the moon.
For those outside the path, there is no dramatic moment of totality, no dance of Baily’s Beads around the edge of the moon’s disk, no intense darkening of the skies, no stars and planets suddenly revealing themselves against an impossible twilight, no corona flashing into view (the otherworldly beauty of which makes even veteran total eclipse observers gasp in amazement), and no primordial fear which sinks ever so slightly even the modern heart. There is no pitch-blackened disk of the sun, no discernable temperature drop, no impossible nighttime during the day, no scintillating chromosphere or glorious prominences, no 360-degree sunset effect around the horizon, no uncontrollable shouts of emotional overload from the assembled crowd, and no lingering post-eclipse sensation of certainty that you have just done one of the coolest things you’ll ever do in your life.
A partial eclipse is interesting but forgettable, while a total eclipse is a memorable, life-changing event which burns itself into memory – and never fades. And so we, who have seen this sight, ask you to join us on this momentous day, and do everything you possibly can to see it with us. But you must remember that “close” is not close enough; in order to see the eclipse in all its glory, you simply must…
Get thee to the path!
Later today I’ll watch video taken by others of the eclipse, but I plan to be within the path of totality — as close to the centerline as i can get. Can’t drive an hour or more? Get to South St. Louis.
Based on yesterday’s non-scientfic Sunday Poll I’m preaching to the choir.
Q: Agree or disagree: Meh…solar eclipse…I won’t be in the path of totality tomorrow. No biggie.
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historic architecture of St. Louis, Missouri – mourning the losses, celebrating the survivors.
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