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Central Connecticut State University, released the latest editio of its survey of literacy in America's most populous cities, and somehow Washington, D.C. came out on top. ????? For the second year in a row. Chicago came out 29th on the list. New York, the hot burning center of the publishing universe, tied with Austin, Texas for the 22nd spot. Of course, consider the methodology. The study focused on six indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources.
Notice that it mentions nothing about the I.Q.s of politicians...
And the rest:
2. Seattle (what better thing to do on rainy days than read?)
3. Minneapolis (what better thing to do during cold, snowy winters than read?)
4. Atlanta (what better thing to do on really hot, humid summer days than stay in the air-conditioned comfort of your home and read -- or sit in the shade of the veranda, with a fan, a book and a tall glass of sweet tea?)
5. Boston (well, they have Boston College, Harvard, MIT, Tufts, UMass, etc. etc., all those high-octane students add up to LOTS of literacy)
6. Pittsburgh (well, with an ancestral philanthropist like Andrew Carnegie, who funded over 2500 libraries across the U.S., Pittsburghers darn well better be literate!)
7. Cincinnati (no clue -- I visited the place in my childhood and have fond memories of eating shrimp on a boat/restaurant floating on the Ohio river -- I know I read there that summer, but I can't vouch for anyone else!)
8. St. Louis (great little city, home of Washington University, which aspires to be the Harvard of the Midwest -- oh wait, that's the University of Chicago -- and Ted Drewes Custard, the Fabulous Parabola, toasted ravioli, and a stone's throw from the Cahokia Mounds. I guess they read, too!)
9. San Francisco (the fog inspires one to curl up with a book)
10. Denver (well, you can't ski all the time)
Notice that it mentions nothing about the I.Q.s of politicians...
And the rest:
2. Seattle (what better thing to do on rainy days than read?)
3. Minneapolis (what better thing to do during cold, snowy winters than read?)
4. Atlanta (what better thing to do on really hot, humid summer days than stay in the air-conditioned comfort of your home and read -- or sit in the shade of the veranda, with a fan, a book and a tall glass of sweet tea?)
5. Boston (well, they have Boston College, Harvard, MIT, Tufts, UMass, etc. etc., all those high-octane students add up to LOTS of literacy)
6. Pittsburgh (well, with an ancestral philanthropist like Andrew Carnegie, who funded over 2500 libraries across the U.S., Pittsburghers darn well better be literate!)
7. Cincinnati (no clue -- I visited the place in my childhood and have fond memories of eating shrimp on a boat/restaurant floating on the Ohio river -- I know I read there that summer, but I can't vouch for anyone else!)
8. St. Louis (great little city, home of Washington University, which aspires to be the Harvard of the Midwest -- oh wait, that's the University of Chicago -- and Ted Drewes Custard, the Fabulous Parabola, toasted ravioli, and a stone's throw from the Cahokia Mounds. I guess they read, too!)
9. San Francisco (the fog inspires one to curl up with a book)
10. Denver (well, you can't ski all the time)
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