I know that bulk pick up day is coming up, but this seems a bit ridiculous:

A neighbor has put a gigantic TV in the alley and I’m wondering what they are thinking. I’m assuming a TV needs to be disposed of in a particular way. Do they really expect to put this out with the bulk trash? Will a scavenger take it away? Is it just there until they can dispose of it properly?

I’ve had my share of surprises when I’ve taken out the trash, but this one takes the cake.

I read a story today about Hawaii banning plastic bags and paper bags made from less than 40% recycled material and thought that would be a good idea to bring to St. Louis.

Everything is made from plastic, from the most common of eating utensils to our modern day electronics. I think it would be a good thing to try and reduce the amount of urban tumbleweed we see in the City.

Can Larry Rice really just declare any site in the city as his new tent city kingdom? Does he own this land? Is it public land?

Are tent cities really the answer to the housing the homeless? And “Integrity Village”, really? I’m sorry, but with the violence and deplorable living conditions being reported at Rice’s previous tent city, what’s with the noble names? I personally feel the tent cities are for those that can’t or won’t work to better themselves. There are a lot of mentally unstable people in the homeless population too, how are these conditions helping them?

And why does he have to always choose sites in the city? Let him go to the county and try these shenanigans.

So it looks like we now get to, or will be able to in the future, vote on the proposed sales tax for funding the Arch improvements.

I recognize the importance of the Arch to our region, but I just can’t support the current design plans for the Arch. Almost everything I’ve seen I’ve disliked, from the lid over 70 to the closing of Washington Avenue. I won’t willingly pay for anything that does not connect the City with the Archgrounds in more than just one spot.

I’ve been really disappointed with the plans for the Archgrounds since they were first unveiled, and the news just keeps getting worse. I’m almost inclined to say leave things the way they are if we can’t do this right.

I mean, I think all that really needs to happen (aside from tearing out Highway 70 and creating a true boulevard) is improving existing connections and some general sprucing up.

Ah well, this is St. Louis, so whoever is going to benefit most behind closed doors will have final say on this, but I just don’t support the current design plans and won’t vote to fund them.

I haven’t been to the Central West End for a while. I know, bad me. I had to go there on Friday to photograph and project for work and I must say, navigating the CWE was something of a nightmare with the closed and streets that dead ended. The home I had to photograph was on a private street, so it was gated, and then there were the streets that just ended in a cul-de-sac, and then there are the one way streets…I got lost just because I got all confused and couldn’t use the street grid as it was laid out.

Do closed streets really make neighborhoods safer or just harder to navigate?

I love the CWE though, I just don’t get there enough. I should try and change that. How I’d love to live in one of those homes on the private streets, they are simply amazing, well the one I was inside was. You wouldn’t believe the woodwork, built-ins and leaded and stained glass in this place! I was in a state of envy.