I’m a policy geek, I love reading about various policy solutions to problems. Yesterday I finally found a topic for today’s poll.
The subject of today’s poll is municipal bankruptcy. I read articles for and against. To remain neutral I’m not going to quote from either.
Today’s poll will close at 8pm tonight.
— Steve Patterson
Yesterday the Post-Dispatch had an article about researchers examining closing streets and crime. From the abstract of the research paper:
Unlike most American cities, St. Louis, Missouri has a highly bisected street grid. Where intersections would typically be open to two-way traffic, in hundreds in cases in St. Louis they have been closed using concrete barriers or cul-de-sacs. These street closures are the outgrowth of a 1970s-era “defensible space” strategy to address rising crime rates. Oscar Newman, who is most closely associated with this paradigm, developed it while a faculty member in St. Louis. (Link)
Today’s poll seeks to get reader input on this topic.
This poll will close at 8pm tonight. Come back Wednesday for the non-scientific results and my thoughts.
– Steve Patterson
Today’s non-scientific poll is about dollar stores:
These stores have gained attention as success stories in the country’s most economically distressed places — largely rural counties with few retail options. Two main chains, Dollar General and Dollar Tree (which owns Family Dollar), operate more than 30,000 stores nationally and plan to open thousands more, vastly outnumbering Walmarts and other retailers.
In cities, dollar stores trade in economic despair, with many residents saying they are a vital source of cheap staples. But as the stores cluster in low-income neighborhoods, their critics worry they are not just a response to poverty — but a cause. Residents fear the stores deter other business, especially in neighborhoods without grocers or options for healthy food. Dollar stores rarely sell fresh produce or meats, but they undercut grocery stores on prices of everyday items, often pushing them out of business. (Post-Dispatch)
In many neighborhoods dollar stores are the only stores.
So here’s today’s poll:
This poll will close at 8pm.
— Steve Patterson
Back from another trip to the annual Chicago Auto Show. To get there I took the bus to the Amtrak station, my husband met me there — leaving our car in long-term, parking. In Chicago we used the bus to reach the auto show. Lots of miles covered in non-auto modes to see autos.
This got me thinking about getting around in St. Louis. How do readers of this blog get around? For many the top choice will be private automobile, no doubt. Is it paid off, leased, or still have a loan?
What’ll be interesting to me is to see how other modes fare. Hopefully this poll will get lots of responses, so please encourage others to weigh in.
Today’s poll includes a detailed list of options to select from. Respondents can pick up to 3 answers.
This poll will close at 8pm tonight.
— Steve Patterson
I’ve said before I’m not a sports fan, that’s still true. To me the most interesting thing about the Super Bowl is the commercials — I can watch those online now.
This year is more intriguing for some reason. Maybe it’s because of the unique stadium architecture, news stories talking about the age difference between the quarterbacks, or the Patriots’ recent Super Bowl record:
The team owns the record for most Super Bowls reached (nine) and won (five) by a head coach–quarterback tandem, and most Super Bowl appearances overall (eleven). Currently, the team is tied with the 49ers and Cowboys for the second most Super Bowl wins with five, after the Steelers, who have six. (Wikipedia)
It’s in my nature to root for the underdog, give someone else a chance. Then we turn to the St…uh…Los Angeles Rams.
The franchise has won three NFL championships, and is the only one to win championships representing three different cities (Cleveland in 1945, Los Angeles in 1951, and St. Louis in 1999) (Wikipedia)
Three championships…but only one Super Bowl…when they were still the St. Louis Rams. Of course the Rams were again in the Super Bowl the year after their only win…to lose to the New England Patriots. They meet again.
If you’re like me you’ve seen reports of loyal Rams fans still in St. Louis, as well as lawyer Terry Crouppen’s new ad critical of Ram’s owner Stan Kroenke. So today I’m curious which team you’re rooting for…or if you care.
Today’s poll will close at 8pm.
— Steve Patterson