Bert Sperling

CBS News Features Sperling’s Natural Hazards Ranking

Bert — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:08:16 +0000

On Tuesday, June 18th, CBS Morning News will be doing a feature based on our rankings of all 379 U.S. metros areas for their risk from natural disasters. According to the producers, it should air about 7:45am local time.

We compiled this list at the request of the New York Times, which wondered – in [...]

Review – Triumph of the City

Bert — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:49:51 +0000

Triumph of the City How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier Edward Glaeser, PhD

In his widely acclaimed book, Dr. Glaeser extolls the virtues of large cities, in fact the bigger the better. He explores how residents of the largest cities are healthier, wealthier, smarter, more productive, and greener than [...]

America’s Fittest Cities – ACSM

Bert — Thu, 30 May 2013 08:29:45 +0000

The annual American Fitness Index is well-intentioned but conflicting metrics dilute its focus.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has released their sixth annual American Fitness Index (AFI) which “evaluates the infrastructure, community assets and policies that encourage healthy and fit lifestyles in the 50 most populous metro areas in the United States.”

I’m going [...]

Portland Just Got a Lot Weirder

Bert — Sat, 11 May 2013 19:12:46 +0000

Institution Incentivizes Indecency

(Okay, maybe the subtitle is a little hysterical but I’m a sucker for alliteration.)

Portland has this slogan “Keep Portland Weird” (which they stole from Austin, how lame is that?) And as part of their celebration of weirdness, they have the annual Naked Bike Ride. There is a World Naked Bike Ride, [...]

U.S. News names “Worst Places to Retire”

Bert — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:57:43 +0000

Another half-baked and misleading list from another site desperate to attract readers.

U.S. News recently released a list of The 10 Worst Places to Retire. Wow, I thought, these places must be awful to be chosen as “the worst”. They must have deadly air and water pollution, rampant crime, unchecked disease, unsafe nursing homes, no [...]

Best Football Cities

Bert — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:26:02 +0000

Which city produces the most pro football players? Either all-time or the modern era, it’s the same place.

It may not be our national pastime, but football is probably the most-followed sport in America. It’s certainly got the biggest single game – pigskin fanatic or not, chances are you’ll be watching the Super Bowl this Sunday.

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Houston – The Place to Go?

Bert — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 08:33:51 +0000

Houston, TX

The New York Times announces “The 46 Places to Go in 2013“

Now this is not just a list of interesting spots. Oh, no. This is a list of “THE” places you must visit, and because the places have been precisely and lovingly vetted and curated, there are exactly 46 of them.

Not 50 places, because [...]

Nice State, Mean State

Bert — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 11:18:58 +0000

One explanation why different states think the way they do

I’ve looked for explanations why there are geographic pockets of behavior or thinking. I’ve looked for reasons to explain why some attributes, conditions, traits, behaviors, qualities and characteristics seem to cluster in certain areas, while residents of other places tend towards the opposite.

Why do certain [...]

Three Kinds of Gun Deaths

Bert — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 07:44:34 +0000

What the numbers tell us about firearm legislation

In the wake of the terrible mass murder at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, there is a great deal of solemn intoning that Something Must Be Done.

Click to view – Firearm Deaths by State and Motive

As you listen to the discussion, it’s important to remember [...]

I’m Sorry

Bert — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 09:40:15 +0000

Forbes has released a new slideshow, “America’s 20 Dirtiest Cities“, which is based mostly on data readily available on our Sperling’s BestPlaces website (www.bestplaces.net).

The Forbes list and the story is pretty straightforward; a callout of the large U.S. metro areas with the worst scores for air and water quality, plus measures of toxic releases and Superfund sites.

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