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To the topic, it shocks me that there would even be a gap considering Philly's history, size, and contributions to the US. I am from Boston and have always considered it to be a small coastal city that just happens to be the world's most prominent medical and educational center.
I also consider Philly to be a close number 2 or 3 (NYC is there too) in the top schools of the world category, it should be exploding in prominence.
To the topic, it shocks me that there would even be a gap considering Philly's history, size, and contributions to the US. I am from Boston and have always considered it to be a small coastal city that just happens to be the world's most prominent medical and educational center.
I also consider Philly to be a close number 2 or 3 (NYC is there too) in the top schools of the world category, it should be exploding in prominence.
I think you're exactly right, which Is why Boston is such an excellent model for Philly. The institutions are there, but they need to be utilized better.
It's not a matter of schools like Penn and Drexel having to be exactly like Harvard and MIT, but as I noted before, using the same concept of higher education and medical institutions to anchor research, drive innovation and finally commercialization of new technology is absolutely something that Philly can find great success in. There are tons of parallels between Cambridge and University City (West Philly). It's a matter of Philly focusing on and marketing those assets better to a global audience, and it's finally doing just that.
I think you're exactly right, which Is why Boston is such an excellent model for Philly. The institutions are there, but they need to be utilized better.
It's not a matter of schools like Penn and Drexel having to be exactly like Harvard and MIT, but as I noted before, using the same concept of higher education and medical institutions to anchor research, drive innovation and finally commercialization of new technology is absolutely something that Philly can find great success in. There are tons of parallels between Cambridge and University City (West Philly). It's a matter of Philly focusing on and marketing those assets better to a global audience, and it's finally doing just that.
It needs to keep its graduates from leaving after graduation. It needs to make sure that it has great safe neighborhoods with attractive housing. All those Philly rowhouses could be a great draw.
I think this mostly stems from the fact that Boston has such a large Irish population. We were told at our very first BSA meeting that we were NOT to go to South Boston under any circumstances (this is the late 90s, btw). Of all ethnic Whites, African Americans have had the most fractious relationship with Irish Americans.
They were essentially in competition with each other for much of the 20th century.
I do believe that Philly has made significant improvement and still has many aspoects to continue to work on.
Boston i more polished and further along as a whole; I do think Philly has been closing the gap an Boston has not stopped.
I agree with Dude that there are many aspects of Boston that can be modeled and leveraged for Philly
Philly still needs to be better at attracting jobs, retaining educated talent, and cleaning up more neighborhoods as well as the city schools
Philly has about as much good and more bad so proportionally as a lightly larger place it has more bad in the relative sense (crime, poverty, under-educated, etc.)
While I do think Philly can be a little more fun as a city, Boston is no sloutch and that is maybe the biggest advantage (maybe food today too) I can persoanlly feel good about making. Philly has come a long way and believe is the right trajectory and so is Boston. All thi bravado doesnt really addres th quetion nor add substance to the conversation.
I stand by my original post in that I feel that Philly is CLOSING the gap, that said it still has pains to overcome and many aspects of Boston can be and should be leveraged
IMHO two great cities today, yesterday, and tomorrow
I think this mostly stems from the fact that Boston has such a large Irish population. We were told at our very first BSA meeting that we were NOT to go to South Boston under any circumstances (this is the late 90s, btw). Of all ethnic Whites, African Americans have had the most fractious relationship with Irish Americans.
The Italians would have almost certainly fit this bill as well. The difference is the different times of gentrification. The traditionally Italian neighborhood of the North End gentrified during the 90s, whereas South Boston didn't gentrify until the 2000s. If you were to go to South Boston now, you'd find it to be a very, very different place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Duderino
It's not a matter of schools like Penn and Drexel having to be exactly like Harvard and MIT, but as I noted before, using the same concept of higher education and medical institutions to anchor research, drive innovation and finally commercialization of new technology is absolutely something that Philly can find great success in. There are tons of parallels between Cambridge and University City (West Philly). It's a matter of Philly focusing on and marketing those assets better to a global audience, and it's finally doing just that.
For sure...I think the main focus for urban universities in our new tech/biotech economy is to push collaboration and generate new ideas. Boston's been going crazy with the number of "innovation centers" being built by universities, cities (Boston & Cambridge), and even private companies. It doesn't have to be Harvard or MIT creating the next big thing. EMC Corporation (being bought by Dell for $67 billion) was created by Northeastern grads. The pioneering music-sharing software, Napster, was also created at Northeastern. It's just about getting the right people in the right place at the right time. If universities can push this sort of future development & collaboration, they can do a lot for the institution and the community.
The Italians would have almost certainly fit this bill as well. The difference is the different times of gentrification. The traditionally Italian neighborhood of the North End gentrified during the 90s, whereas South Boston didn't gentrify until the 2000s. If you were to go to South Boston now, you'd find it to be a very, very different place.
and either Italian or Irish both cities have had and do have similar populations and proportions.
Both have their racial black eye and both have had large Irish and Italian influences; the compositions are nearly the same.
I dont get Bajans point
If Southies are racist then it leads to better economics for Boston because Philly has less Irish racial tension - doesnt pass the sniff test to me
The Italians would have almost certainly fit this bill as well. The difference is the different times of gentrification. The traditionally Italian neighborhood of the North End gentrified during the 90s, whereas South Boston didn't gentrify until the 2000s. If you were to go to South Boston now, you'd find it to be a very, very different place.
The African American-Italian American relationship, while far from peachy, has historically been better than the African American-Irish American relationship. That's obviously not saying a lot.
I didn't say Southie was racist. My point was that many Black people felt uneasy about going there because of a history of Irish/African American conflict (which W.E.B. DuBois wrote about in the Philadelphia Negro). There is a perception in the African American community that the Irish really, really despise Black people. Whether that is true or not is a different question.
My post was in direct response to nei. It had nothing do with the relationship between racism and economic progress.
So Pittsburgh and Minneapolis are "white hideaways" too. Got it!
The discussion for my intents and purposes is very specific. Its not about race,discrimination,segration or judging anyone or anybody, but rather WHY Bostons per capita stats are exceptionally high in comparison to its peers. IMO that question was answered. 1.demographics 2. location
You bringing up Minneapolis further cements the demographic argument. Its per capita income is roughly 20% higher than its neighbor Milwaukee, in fact Minny has one of the highest per capita incomes in the US(Minn is only 7% african american).
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