Do Birmingham and Alabama’s Rankings On Listicles Matter?

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/05/birminghambynick.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:897;s:6:"height";i:597;s:4:"file";s:28:"2015/05/birminghambynick.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-336x224.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-771x513.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:513;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-768x511.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:511;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"birminghambynick-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-600x597.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:597;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-467x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:467;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-398x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:398;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-600x597.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:597;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"birminghambynick-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Nick Patterson
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WELD
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_edit_lock] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1436808980:9
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => already_optimized
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

)
1649555721 
1431016368

You probably see a new one each time you go online. A “listicle” — that’s the name for the article-list hybrid shared so often on social media. How do Alabama and Birmingham rank? Well, WalletHub says Alabama is the 9th worst state for nurses. Birmingham is one of Deep South Magazine’s best “foodie cities” of the South, but it’s absent from Travel and Leisure magazine’s list of best cities for foodies. The methodology of listicles can vary dramatically depending on who’s making the list.

As Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD, tells WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley, these rankings and claims, no matter how dubious, can change the way people see the place they live. Patterson wrote about listicles and their affects in this week’s WELD.

 

10 emerging writers win Whiting Awards

The awards, which come with a $50K purse, have helped launch the writing careers of many now well-known authors, including Colson Whitehead, Ocean Vuong, Alice McDermott and Jia Tolentino.

Alabama approves regulations on pharmacy benefit managers in order to help small pharmacies

The Alabama House backed the proposal that will require pharmacy benefit managers to reimburse independent pharmacists at least at the state Medicaid rate for prescription drugs. The bill now goes to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey.

20 musicians who should get to go to space before Katy Perry

On April 14, Blue Origin plans to launch a space flight with a crew that includes the singer behind the 2010 hit "Firework." But we can think of many other artists who deserve to be among the stars.

Attorney representing a student protester detained by federal immigration agents

Amir Makled sat down with All Things Considered host Juana Summers to describe his experience and what it could mean for other attorneys who are going against the wishes of the Trump administration.

European Union approves new retaliatory tariffs on the U.S.

All but one of the 27 EU member countries voted to impose tariffs on specific U.S. products. The vote came before President Trump announced a 90-day pause on U.S. tariffs on goods from most countries.

Appeals court rules Trump can fire probationary federal workers once again

The decision from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals further clears the way for the Trump administration to re-fire, for now, thousands of probationary federal employees.

More Arts and Culture Coverage