Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Seattle Is Most Literate City In America While Fort Worth Is Not

BING had a best city skyline contest. The winning photo will be the background on the BING homepage. Seattle photographer Justin Kramer had the winning photo, with his picture of the Seattle skyline.

Speaking of Seattle, yet one more study has Seattle being the #1 most literate city in America.

Cities were ranked based on the number of retail bookstores per 10,000 population, the percentage of adults with a high school diploma or higher, the number of web page views, per capita, of a city's Internet version of a newspaper and the total circulation of a city's newspapers.

The Top 75 cities, with populations over 250,000, were ranked.

The top Texas city is Austin, coming in at #16, followed by Dallas at #48, Forth Worth close on Dallas' heels at #52, Plano tied at #53, Houston at #60, San Antonio at #61, Arlington tied for #70 and El Paso in last place at #75.

It does not shock me, too much, that Fort Worth would be in the bottom third of a study like this. Yesterday's talk with Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief was illuminating. I believe he is a product of the Fort Worth schools which left him sadly lacking in key pieces of knowledge, like what a Conflict of Interest is. Or that pouring a cup of grape Kool-Aid into a river is not going to turn it purple.

If Fort Worth were a more literate city I suspect that more than 6% of the eligible voters would turn out and not re-elect an ethics challenged, Conflicts of Interest-laden mayor, with a 70% of the vote landslide. In other words no one like Mike Moncrief would ever be elected mayor of Seattle.

9 comments:

  1. Mayor Moncrief is not in the same league as Seattle's Mayor Stone, who hightailed it for San Francisco amid embezzlement charges. More recently, Seattle had it's most recent Mayor recall attempt in 1975.

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  2. Steve A---
    I have no memory of this Mayor Stone of whom you speak. I do remember recall attempts. I don't remember any conflicts of interest type ill-gotten gains in the $ multi-million range.

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  3. Geez, Steve A---
    Mayor Corliss P. Stone was mayor of Seattle way back in 1872! And he ran away to San Francisco with only $15,000. I think 1872 is before the Here Come The Brides era.

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  4. What about the Here Come The Grooms era, J.R.? Your brother JD went to FW schools and look how good he's got it right now.--Big Sugar Mama

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  5. Big Sugar Mama---
    How come JD gets paid way more for his vision than I do for mine? I don't have fancy offices either.

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  6. Well, it's a much BIGGER vision, honey. Plus, you don't need the money when you do just fine shopping at Town Talk and Walmart. Your office is much grander than his b/c it's the THNA and Oakland Park. You don't need any refinement since you won't be hosting any dignitaries like the mayor, JJ (that's Mr. Jerry Jones to you, baby), eminent domain lawyers, and investors and such. You'll do just fine if you spend less time reading and "perplexing" about things and more time with mayor Mikey. You keep that up and you'll be following in his footsteps. Love, your B.S. Mama

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  7. B.S. Mama---
    Thank you for the advice. I realized JD has been your boy longer than me and that it is perfectly natural for you to favor him.
    JR

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  8. Don't be jealous,J.R. Want me to get ya a poney for Christmas, sweetie? Would that make you feel better, sugar pie? Remember, even though you were a Yankee for most of your life, you are the VISION of my eyes.--Kisses, B.S. Mama.

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  9. Yes, Mama, I want a pony as nice as JD's.

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