Alabama Second "tightest" state

Washington Post piece on academic paper which looks at the contrasting views among the various states and how they are shaped.



"How “tightness” vs “looseness” explains the U.S. political map: Professors Jesse R. Harrington and Michele J. Gelfand studied "the degree to which social entities are 'tight' (have many strongly enforced rules and little tolerance for deviance) Aversus 'loose' (have few strongly enforced rules and greater tolerance for deviance)" and then produced a ranking of each state from tightest to loosest. (Among the various characteristics they used to define "tight" or "loose" included the use of corporal punishment in schools, the rate of executions, access to alcohol and the legality of same sex unions. You can read the full paper here.)

Rotary Trail in Context

In case you've been wondering what is happening in the Railroad Cut along First Avenue South, the Rotary Trail is in now under construction.



In case you missed it, here is a nice update of the project in context. It was written by Phillip Ratliff for B-Metro.



Excerpt:

In the coming months, a cadre of funders and designers will transform the cut into a gorgeous, and hopefully thriving, pedestrian pathway.

Birmingham’s Rotary Club chapter is spearheading the project, which has an estimated cost of $3.5 million, through a competitive process marking their centennial. When completed (it has an estimated completion date of spring 2015), the Rotary Trail, as it will be called, will anchor new development and provide a crucial segment in the city’s extensive network of bike lanes and pedestrian walkways.

'Eating Alabama' wins James Beard Foundation Award for best special/documentary | AL.com

'Eating Alabama' wins James Beard Foundation Award for best special/documentary | AL.com: “Eating Alabama” won one of the Beard Foundation’s Broadcast and New Media Awards for television, webcast and radio programs that aired in 2013.



If you haven't already track down a copy of Eating Alabama. It's funny and poignant and thoughtful.

It's on Amazon or iTunes.

Birmingham Pizza in New York Magazine's Grub Street Column

Post Office Pies in Avondale is getting attention. Al.com's Bob Carlton, who has been writing about the project, noted this week that Pies was featured on a New York Magazine food blog called Grub Street.