A. Polite

     How polite are people in your city? Some cities have the reputation of being cold and indifferent, and others are known for warmth and courtesy. New York City is considered by residents and visitors alike to be harsh and rude. Cheyenne, Wyo., says Marjabelle Young-Stewart, who runs etiquette classes for executives, is the most polite city in the country.
     Young-Stewart, who has been compiling lists of the country's most polite cities for 15 years, says the Wyoming city encourages residents to greet visitors with a friendly "howdy," and out-of-towners are given tongue-in-cheek parking tickets that state that hanging is the usual punishment for such infractions.
     Among the other cities she lists as polite are Charleston, S.C.; Portland, Ore.; Seattle; Mobile; Pensacola, Fla.; San Diego; Denver; Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.
Washington? One of her clients, Young-Stewart said, told her, "When they hold someone up there they say, 'Excuse me, but can I have your wallet?' "
     Conduct a politeness study of your community.

B. Concern

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<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::::/sites/dl/free/0073511935/234793/polling.jpg','popWin', 'width=128,height=150,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (1.0K)</a>      What's bothering people in town? Here is a list of problems most commonly cited in many polls. Draw up a survey plan and write a story that blends data with comments by individuals: Problem % Very Highly Concerned % Highly Concerned % Moderately Concerned % Not Concerned Taxes Quality of education Pollution Poverty and homelessness Availability of quality health care Drug abuse Crime Social Security Racism

     Add any other concerns you consider relevant.