APS April 2008: Back in St. Louis
This is a bit of a homecoming for me; it has been almost exactly a year since I left the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. And so I was feeling fairly nostalgic as I walked the streets of downtown on this blustery Friday evening. My mood wasn't brightened at all by the utter desolation of downtown. With the Cardinals out of town, the streets were deserted, save for an empty beer can rattling in the wind. Attention physicists! Get out of downtown! The charm of St. Louis is hidden within its neighborhoods and side streets. Hop in a cab and say "Lafayette Square" or "Central West End" -- the cabbie will drop in the right place, and you won't be disappointed. I also hear that Schlafly, the local brewmeister (in addition to the local brewmeister, Anheuser-Busch), has a "Repeal of Prohibition" festival going on Saturday afternoon, if anyone is already looking to play hooky. I'm willing to trade more St. Louis tips for story tips -- email me at e.hand@nature.com. Looking forward to the conference!