Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
i'd be all over that in a minute. Think of all the great infrastructure improvements both cities could make if they didn't have fight with the rest of their state over funds that by and large these two cities produce by themselves anyway.
Haha i'd feel bad for poor pittsburgh, leaving them behind with those animals, but them's the breaks.
It's just ridiculous that philly makes more than half of the gdp of pennsylvania, contributing the vast majority of the states funding. And yet we can't even get a quarter of the tax dollars coming back to us. The rest of pa is mentally ill. They are totally unaware that philly is their cash cow. They would rather build highways in the middle of podunksvile pa that 2 people will drive, then properly fund the mass transit in their two biggest urban hubs where 75% of their taxes come from.
Pa has such vitriolic hate for it's two major urban cities, and yet they fail to realize that if philly and pittsburgh skipped town pa would be in worse economic shape than mississippi instead of the sixth richest state in the country.
If philly and nyc joined nj, nj would have the highest gdp of any state in the nation.
As far as the question of power and the like, Northern CAs power is basically the Bay Area and the 120-mile radius around the city of San Francisco, where most Northern Californians live.
One thing I really find awesome about Northern California is the layers of racial diversity one finds not only in urban neighborhoods but deep into suburbia and exurbia.
According to Brown University(ironically to this thread, in New England), Northern CA is home to 12 of the 25 most racially diverse places in the US, including the top 5. http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg253...pg&res=landing
To be honest, many of the places in that Brown University diversity map are rather undesirable places to live. Vallejo, Fairfield, Oakland, Suisun City, and Fairview usually get bad reps, even though there are some nice parts of those cities. Oakland has some beautiful scenery but it definitely has an issue with crime and poverty. Although, the Rockridge and Oakland Hills areas are great from what I experienced there.
I do like the diversity of suburban neighborhoods in NorCal, though, and it definitely shows. However, I'd say most of the upper middle class neighborhoods consist of Caucasian and Asians (like my family). Where I live, very few African Americans and Latinos live in the "wealthy" neighborhoods. Nonetheless, most people here are pretty accepting of people who are of different backgrounds or have different lifestyles, which is good.
I've never been to Pennsylvania or New England, but I would love to visit. I have some relatives that are in the Philadelphia area, and it would be cool to visit all Ivy League college towns out there in New England. I've lived in Northern California since the day I was born, and the weather here is definitely very nice, but I wouldn't mind some snow. The scenery is also pretty nice in the countryside, especially in Sonoma County, where I live. The wine country is fairly amazing, to say the least. Even urban places like San Francisco still retain a beautiful landscape. San Francisco has stunning views all around the city.
for food and music it's great. For anything else, I could care less.
I'd probably point to Japan as a counterexample, but then I'm having a hard time of thinking many other countries that are not very diverse and yet have very diverse food and music scenes.
I picked Northern California because I've lived here for nearly 24 years and it has for the most part allowed me and my family to flourish. I'm very partial to Pennsylvania however since it is the state which gave me my first job after college and where I met my incredible wife. I find Pennsylvanians to be among the kindest, most genuine people I've ever met. Many of the women I met there were incredibly beautiful, but understated. Those people were full of character and depth, and just warm-hearted. If PA had California's weather, I'd be there.
About New England, I've never visited the region, so I don't know much about it other than hearsay. I know there are some incredibly fine people there as well. It's in the North, so it likely is an incredible place to live, work, and raise a family.
Right, and given that it's not much of a revelation, I don't understand why it seems to factor into so many rankings about livability or how great a city is with other things like affordability, cost-of-living, crime, economic growth, gmp, etc. It doesn't make sense.
It's "enlightened" and politically correct. Therefore it doesn't have to make sense.
Interesting comparison. Definitely one that I never would have thought about.
I've never been to Northern California, although it's definitely at the top of my list of travel wish list.
I've also never found New England and Pennsylvania to be that different from each other, at least in terms of Southern New England.
Obviously, the lack of a coast in PA makes for the biggest difference between these two geographic areas, and there are a few distinct cultural differences. However, I think both PA and New England are comparable in a lot of ways. Both share a deep pride in their historical significance (from the American Revolution to the Industrial Revolution) and highly value open spaces/lack of over-development and value very small units of local government (which has its pros and cons). Both also have strong Euro-American influences.
In terms of natural beauty, Pennsylvania can be appreciated for its abundant and lush countryside and valleys, whereas New England excels in its peaceful coasts and coniferous forests. Both New England and Pennsylvania have a plethora of great educational, health and cultural institutions, as well.
Thousands and millions of people actually, hence the scores of reports and articles on the issue. You arent interested-so what.
Why don't you start a thread about the wonderfulness of NorCal's diversity, you can even include all your linked studies. No one on this poll gives a rats behind.
Why don't you start a thread about the wonderfulness of NorCal's diversity
Actually this thread has asked us to think of all things that we think are pertinent. I think I'll post more diversity stats in this thread just because.
Oh, and do I even need to tell you what to do to the rat's behind.
#puckerup
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
), Northern CA is home to 12 of the 25 most racially diverse places in the US, including the top 5.
All 3 regions are great.
