Brevities

The Chestertown Spy Survey #16 Results

July 8, 2020 by The Chestertown Spy Leave a Comment

This week we explored pessimism and optimism. Asking first where readers place themselves on a scale between 1 and 9, with 9 being extremely optimistic. The neutral score is a 5 and the average for all readers of The Chestertown Spy was 5.1. So, slightly optimistic. Interestingly, the number of readers indicating they were most optimistic vs. those most pessimistic was about the same.

Then we asked what factors caused you to be optimistic and pessimistic. The word clouds tell the story…seems views are shaped by the upcoming election and COVID-19.

Factors causing OPTIMISM…

Factors causing PESSIMISM…

You Can’t Keep a good Tomato Down: Chestertown Farmers’ Market is Back

July 5, 2020 by The Spy 2 Comments

Chestertown’s Saturday Market has returned to downtown with a new format that seemed to please everyone. Rather than using Fountain Park, vendors set up along High St. to respect social distancing and invited shoppers to easy, open access. This strategy to remain open during COVID-19 was happily embraced by the community.

You can’t keep a good tomato down.

Take the Chestertown Spy Survey #16 – Pessimism vs. Optimism

July 5, 2020 by The Chestertown Spy Leave a Comment

Let’s think about the year ahead. Before we reach 2021 we will have the summer season along with the elections in the fall. And, we wrap up with the holidays at the end of this year which is just 6 months away. So, how are you feeling about 2021…tell us in this week’s Spy Survey.

Take the Chestertown Spy here:

Chestertown Spy Survey #15 Results – A Thermometer 60 Days Later

July 1, 2020 by The Chestertown Spy 1 Comment

We asked readers to again consider how favorable or unfavorable they are towards about a dozen organizations and people. These same organizations and people appeared on the last thermometer survey taken 60 days ago. Thank you to the many readers who responded.

Here’s what we found.

Overall the ratings were lower this time signaling a general decline in favorability ratings. However, the strongest favorability ratings went to Dr. Fauci, Governor Hogan, Personal Physician and The Spy. Over the course of 60 days, Governor Hogan’s score declined somewhat and people’s Personal Physician scored somewhat higher.

Ratings given to the various media organizations we asked about are just a tick above neutral, but all were lower than they were 60 days ago.

President Trump had the most unfavorable score in the survey which was the case 60 days ago; however, his score did tick up just bit.

We also asked in Survey #15 about whether readers were connecting with online programing. In a range where “4” represents very often and “1” represents never, Chestertown Spy readers came in pretty much in the middle with “1.7.”

For those going online, we asked what organizations were being viewed most frequently. The word cloud below shows what was mentioned most often:

Take the Chestertown Spy Survey #15 – Another Thermometer

June 28, 2020 by The Chestertown Spy Leave a Comment

We thought we’d check our readers “temperatures” once again. Several weeks ago, the Spy ran a thermometer survey. We’re repeating it and will report on Wednesday whether much has changed.

Take the SURVEY NOW – CLICK HERE

Chestertown Spy Survey #14 Results on What’s Next

June 24, 2020 by The Chestertown Spy Leave a Comment

Well, we found out that what is most likely next for many is continued precautionary isolation – the highest scoring activity on the list of activities. No argument about the wisdom of that for sure!

The survey found most people were not in the so called middle. Activities were either “very likely” to be engaged in or “very unlikely.” Thus, the easiest way to share the results from Chestertown Spy readers is to look at the top 3 activities the readers who responded suggested they were likely to engage in and the three they were most unlikely to engage in:

Most Likely – Top of list…

Safely Isolate at Home
Swimming
Boating Activities

And, the Least Likely – bottom of list…

Playing Golf
Fly Somewhere
Playing Tennis

Readers did provide an interesting list of other activities. We share the most mentioned words from the comments section in the word cloud below:

The see the full survey results please go here.

Take the Chestertown Spy Pulse Survey # 14 – Summer Time Questions

June 21, 2020 by The Chestertown Spy Leave a Comment

It’s Summer! What are you likely to do?

Let’s think positive! While Covid-19 is still with us, we just entered summer. So, what are you most likely to do this year? We suggest a few activities and invite you to add more in this week’s Talbot Spy Survey. Thanks for participating!

Take the Chestertown Spy Survey here.

Chestertown Spy Pulse Survey # 13 Results on to Keep or Remove Confederate Monuments

June 17, 2020 by The Chestertown Spy 10 Comments

The Spy asked for readers views on whether statues and monuments meant to honor Confederate soldiers should remain in place or be removed. And, we pointed out that the debate in Talbot County about one such statue, The Talbot Boys, is very much alive once again.

The Chestertown Spy results overall indicate a majority favor retaining these statues with just under 40% indicating a desire to see them removed. But, this is not the whole story. It is a bit more complicated when you look at how long respondents have lived on the Eastern Shore. Readers who have lived here over 20 years believe more strongly in keeping the statues in place with only 29% suggesting they should be removed. And, for those residing on the Shore 20 or fewer years, over half support removing the statues.

Perhaps this is what makes shaping public policy around the statues and monuments so challenging. Many readers who favored removal of the statues did comment that they should go to a museum or historical location and not be on official government grounds.

And, we remind you, our survey represents the views of readers who choose to participate and may not match the views of the entire community. We do appreciate the active participation in this survey by our readers.

Chestertown Spy Survey #13 Results

July 2020 Sky-Watch

June 16, 2020 by Dennis Herrman Leave a Comment

A full planetary lineup for sky-watchers begins in July and extends well into the fall, allowing us plenty of opportunities for really good views of the planets. On July 1st, as a gibbous Moon appears in our southeastern sky as night falls, Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius, will be seen just to the left of the Moon by 10:00 pm. Over due east, Jupiter and Saturn will rise close to each other among the stars of Sagittarius an hour after sunset.

Both Jupiter and Saturn reach opposition in July; Jupiter on July 14th and Saturn on July 20th. Opposition means that the planets appear opposite the Sun in the sky as seen from Earth. The planets rise in the east as the Sun sets in the west, making each of them visible all night. They set in the west as the Sun rises in the east.

When a planet is at opposition it is as close to Earth as they get in all of 2020. This translates to maximum brightness, and when seen through a telescope, maximum size. Watching both Jupiter and Saturn through July and into the fall will be a rare treat for all sky-watchers with or without telescopes or binoculars.

Jupiter is up first and far brighter than Saturn, at magnitude –2.8. A wealth of atmosphere details will be seen with telescopes and binoculars will show its 4 brightest moons around it. Saturn is just a few degrees left of Jupiter at magnitude –0.1. Telescopes reveal atmosphere details on Saturn too; and of course, its brilliant rings. Saturn’s polar axis tilts 21 degrees towards us this year, revealing the top of the ring system. These include the outer main A ring; the fainter central B ring, and the dusky inner C ring. Telescopes will also show 5 to 6 Saturn moons as tiny jewels of light near the planet.

Mars continues to brighten this month to magnitude –0.5 heading toward its own opposition on October 13th. By the end of the month it will have brightened to –1.1 magnitude as the distance between us and Mars decreases. By July 31st Mars will rise just after 11 pm so it remains a planet to see in the early morning before dawn in the southeast sky.

Venus also may be seen in the morning before dawn at magnitude –4.7. It will be hard to miss. A waning crescent Moon will be seen near Venus on the mornings of July 16th and 17th. Between July 23rd and July 31st also look for Mercury low in the eastern sky and hour before dawn. Mercury will be below and left of Venus on the the mornings of July 29th to July 31st.

July will be a great month to find several planets at their very best so get out to see them! Full Moon for July is on the 5th.

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