St. Louis, Speed Trap Of The Midwest

From the Post-Dispatch: We're slower than Boise? Magazine ranks us 'slow'

St. Louisans are normal, not weird. And, boy, did that hurt us in the standings.

Fast Company magazine has classified our burg as a "slow city."

The July issue of the New York-based publication lists 30 "fast cities" around the world. These are, according to the story, places where young professionals congregate to start their futures.

Some major U.S. cities on the "fast" list are no surprise: New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami. But it also lists some up-and-coming cities, such as Salt Lake City; Fort Collins, Colo.; and Boise, Idaho.

Other slow cities in the U.S. were Detroit and New Orleans, which the magazine says was slipping even before Hurricane Katrina.

The data used in the rankings include "energy," determined in part by the number of ethnic restaurants; economic opportunity; and creative and innovative culture.

The article says St. Louis is "too normal for its own good" and described it as "a spot as bland as a flat Bud Light." (Oh, a creative beer joke.)

The article also notes — as a negative, mind you — that St. Louis ranks last on CityVitals' "weirdness index."

If we are so damned normal how come everybody looks at me oddly when I ask for some pork steaks and a pizza with extra Provel cheese?

Shoot. Now I'm homesick.