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Sorry for the mis-post a little earlier, I'm still figuring out the interface. Anyway....even though I live in Philadelphia, and have been a booster for years, even I was sort of mildly amazed when I stumbled across the following a few months ago
on wikipedia: Philadelphia 4th in GDP in US, trailing only the Big Three of NYC/Chi/LA....and NINTH in the entire world and growing. We tend to fly under the national radar, and I doubt even a lot of locals are aware of just quite how much clout we have, both realized....and potential:
"Philadelphia's economic sectors include manufacturing, oil refining, food processing, health care and biotechnology, tourism and financial services. According to a study prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Philadelphia and its surrounding region had the fourth highest GDP among American cities, with a total GDP of $312 billion in 2005.[45] Only New York City ($1,133 billion), Los Angeles ($693 billion), and Chicago ($460 billion) had higher total economic output levels among American cities.[45] Philadelphia ranked below Tokyo ($1,191 billion), Paris ($460 billion), London ($452 billion), Osaka-Kobe ($391 billion), Mexico City ($315 billion), and above Washington, D.C. ($299 billion) and Boston ($290 billion).
The city is home to the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and several Fortune 500 companies, including cable television and internet provider Comcast, insurance companies Colonial Penn, CIGNA and Lincoln Financial Group, energy company Sunoco, food services company Aramark and Crown Holdings Incorporated, chemical makers Rohm and Haas Company and FMC Corporation, pharmaceutical companies Wyeth and GlaxoSmithKline, Boeing Rotorcraft Systems, and automotive parts retailer Pep Boys. Early in the 20th Century, it was also home to the pioneering brass era automobile company Biddle.[46]"
We still have a lot of work to do. But anyone thinks this is city is second or third fiddle to NYC and DC is mistaken. There's more going on here than $300+ billion dollars worth of Cheesesteaks.
"The Industrial Revolution is over, and we are dispelling our outdated image to welcome the rise of our Knowledge Economy. Our city is now on the forefront of the Technological, Commercial and Green movements with the American Commerce Center - the newest icon of world-class design. At the same time, Philadelphia's Knowledge Economy is replacing its fallen industrial giants with Fortune 1000 companies and retaining its incredible wealth of local talent. The ACC will not only reinvent the skyline, but it will also prove to be a major catalyst in the city's transformation from a satellite of New York City or Washington, D.C. into a global capital."
Wow, we've really come a long way as a country that the only "worldwide influence" we seem to be able to consider or desire is economic domination, isn't it? It kind of scares me. No wonder we're in such bad shape as a country.
Not to mention the influence the U.S. Constitution has had on the democratic governments of the world. Or anyone who's ever championed the ideals of freedom, liberty, and equality. At one point, we were a country that dreamed of the ideals of freedom, liberty, and equality. It has never been a reality, of course, but we always dreamed. Now we seem so enamored of the ideals of economic and military domination......oh, wait, that sounds a lot like old-fashioned European colonialism, doesn't it? I think we need a long look in the mirror at ourselves as a country.
I apologize for the rant, I do love America, its people, and our ideals...it just seems to me we have forgotten ourselves and our ideals, perhaps much in the way we've forgotten their basis in the City of Philadelphia?
"Wow, we've really come a long way as a country that the only "worldwide influence" we seem to be able to consider or desire is economic domination, isn't it? It kind of scares me. No wonder we're in such bad shape as a country.
Here's some of the "worldwide influence" of the City of Philadelphia. A list of countries that signed their own Declarations of Independence after 1776"
I in no way intended to downplay or diminish impact of Philadelphia's central role in the American Revolution, or in the global spread of democracy and American ideals. The cities historic role is a well known part of it's claim to fame as a cultural center, as I have pointed out in other posts. I never meant to imply that Philadelphia's importance as a center of global finance was our only claim to fame....just that it was yet another facet of what makes this a great city....(along with our historic, cultural, architectural, medical, educational, intellectual, entrepenurial, entertainment, transportation, technological, etc., prominence) .... a facet that a lot of people, both locally and nationally....(and internationally, as well, I suppose)....might not be as aware of. Philadelphia has many claims to fame. Highlighting one in no way diminishes any of the others....
Houston is the energy capital of the United States...not the world. Take a look at a list of the World's largest oil companies. The United States doesn't make an appearance until #17 on that list. Countries like Russia, France, China, etc all have their own major oil companies which supply their oil. I would imagine if they don't go through their own companies, they would go through a company from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, etc. rather than an American company. I know I listed oil as a reason for Houston's international influence in my previous post...but the more I thought about it, the more I think it's probably more national power, rather than international power.
Energy does not equal oil.
Besides our energy importance, Houston can also claim medical importance with the worlds largest medical center.
Its big on trading/shipping with the Port of Houston. It is the busiest port in the United States in terms of foreign tonnage, second-busiest in the United States in terms of overall tonnage, and tenth busiest in the world.
Its the 4th largest economy in the US, but only the 6th largest MSA.
Its also important due to LBJ Space Center being located there. NASA is arguably the most important agency for space exploration, and since the space center is where astronauts get trained, and since Mission Control is there, Houston appears to be important in terms of space exploration.
While it is certainly a national power, it does qualify as an international power as well.
So, imo, Houston is important in
-Energy & Oil
-Shipping, Trading
-Medical Research
-Space Exploration
Not to mention, that's its a diverse city with the 3rd most US consulates in the nation, maybe it was 4th. So it does have some presence in the international world.
"Wow, we've really come a long way as a country that the only "worldwide influence" we seem to be able to consider or desire is economic domination, isn't it? It kind of scares me. No wonder we're in such bad shape as a country.
Here's some of the "worldwide influence" of the City of Philadelphia. A list of countries that signed their own Declarations of Independence after 1776"
I in no way intended to downplay or diminish impact of Philadelphia's central role in the American Revolution, or in the global spread of democracy and American ideals. The cities historic role is a well known part of it's claim to fame as a cultural center, as I have pointed out in other posts. I never meant to imply that Philadelphia's importance as a center of global finance was our only claim to fame....just that it was yet another facet of what makes this a great city....(along with our historic, cultural, architectural, medical, educational, intellectual, entrepenurial, entertainment, transportation, technological, etc., prominence) .... a facet that a lot of people, both locally and nationally....(and internationally, as well, I suppose)....might not be as aware of. Philadelphia has many claims to fame. Highlighting one in no way diminishes any of the others....
Sorry! I really, genuinely was not saying that in a rebuttal to you or your post. And I really should learn not to post after a bad day. I just was surprised to read through the entire thread and only see things about economic influence, in my opinion, although maybe I didn't read the thread carefully enough. As a country, the U.S. and all of our cities have so much more to offer than money.
Wow, we've really come a long way as a country that the only "worldwide influence" we seem to be able to consider or desire is economic domination, isn't it? It kind of scares me. No wonder we're in such bad shape as a country.
At the same time, its equally sad when some places hinge all their value and contribution to society on things that occured several hundred years in the past.
NYC: Global influence in pretty much everything.
CHICAGO: Major global center for business and other areas.
LOS ANGLES: Significant influence through the entertainment industry.
BOSTON: One of the world's major education centers.
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I just was surprised to read through the entire thread and only see things about economic influence, in my opinion, although maybe I didn't read the thread carefully enough. As a country, the U.S. and all of our cities have so much more to offer than money.
