Sunday Poll: Winter Heating Bill Compared To Previous?

Spring is here!

Astronomically speaking, the equinox (March 19/20) marks spring’s beginning begins in the Northern Hemisphere (whereas it announces fall’s arrival in the Southern Hemisphere). At this moment, the Sun crosses the celestial equator on its way north along the ecliptic. The equinox happens at the same moment worldwide, even if our clock times reflect a different time zone. 
Did you know this is the earliest spring of our lives thus far? Do you remember when spring started on March 21? It’s due to leap year madness.  Read more about, “The Earliest Spring of our Lives.”

Meteorologically speaking, however, in the Northern Hemisphere the official spring season always begins on March 1 and continues through May 31. Summer begins on June 1; autumn, September 1; and winter, December 1.

Weather scientists divide the year into quarters this way to make it easier to compare seasonal and monthly statistics from one year to the next. The meteorological seasons are based on annual temperature cycles rather than on the position of Earth in relation to the Sun, and they more closely follow the Gregorian calendar. Using the dates of the astronomical equinoxes and solstices for the seasons would present a statistical problem because these dates can vary slightly each year. (Old Farmer’s Almanac)

Today’s poll question isn’t about Spring, it is about the Winter that just concluded:

The poll is open until 8pm.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Do You Use Disposable Plastic Straws?

Today’s poll topic may seem strange, but this is my way of raising an issue I want discussed: straws.

The poll is open until 8pm. I’ll share my thoughts on straws this Wednesday.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Likelihood of a Cyber Attack on the U.S. Power Grid?

Former ABC News anchor has a new book out warning readers about the threat of a cyber attack on our power grid:

We are accustomed to cyber-attacks that result in grand larceny. We are accustomed to cyber-attacks that amount to huge vacuuming of intelligence information. 

What we have never had is a cyber-attack that amounts to a weapon of mass destruction. And my point is that, if someone succeeds in taking down one of our power grids — and the Russians and the Chinese can do it and maybe the Iranians and the North Koreans — it would be devastating. (Ted Koppel via PBS News Hour)

This seemed like a good topic for a poll.

The poll will close at 8pm tonight, I’ll discuss my thoughts and the results on Wednesday.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Should The License Collector Get A Raise?

Missouri House Bill 2469, to increase the annual salary of the License Collector, was in the news earlier this month:

State Rep. Penny Hubbard has filed legislation that would nearly double St. Louis License Collector Mavis Thompson’s salary, taking it from $64,130 to $120,000. (Post-Dispatch)

Hubbard introduced the bill on February 2nd, but withdrew it just six days later on February 8th.

Some other citywide salaries I could find online:

• Collector of Revenue $161,679
• Circuit Attorney $152,672
• Mayor $131,820
• Comptroller $113,190
• Recorder of Deeds $97,000

At the time this created lots of online discussion, likely causing Hubbard to withdraw the bill.  The topic is the subject of today’s poll:

Answers are presented in random order — or you can supply your own answer if you don’t like those provided. The poll closes at 8pm.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Has Your Interest In The Super Bowl Changed Now That St. Louis Does Not Have An NFL Team?

The Super Bowl 50 starts at 5:30pm Central, but television coverage begins at 1pm. Really? The pre-game coverage is longer than the game itself?

Hopefully you’re recovered from yesterday’s Mardi Gras parade. Here’s today’s poll:

The poll is open until 8pm.

— Steve Patterson