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Well, I'm glad you're somewhere nicer now that suits you better.
So am I.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
Median Household Incomes, 2006:
Lackawanna County, PA: $38,915
Luzerne County, PA: $39,687
State: $46,259
Nation: $48,451
Yes, you're feelings are visibly substantiated by facts. Average salaries in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lag severely, but Monroe County's income is actually much higher than the state and national averages, at over $50,000, with the majority of families earning between $50,000 and $74,999. Pike County is also above the state and national averages. This can be attributed though to the high number of residents in both counties who commute to NJ and NY for higher-paying salaries. If and when Wall Street West comes to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, we'll see wages rapidly catch up.
I highly doubt if Wall Street were to migrate westward, salaries would be kept consistent with what you would find on Wall Street. I think a partial reason why financial firms might be looking to move out of New York to Pennsylvania is the lower labor costs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
Percentage of Individuals Living in Poverty, 2006
Luzerne County, PA: 13.3%
Lackawanna County, PA: 12.9%
State: 12.1%
Nation: 13.3%
I wouldn't by any means call the poverty in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre "immense," as the figures for Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties are either at or below the national average for the percentage of individuals living in poverty.
It seems to me that the poverty is much more in your face than it is in other areas. Maybe it's due to small valley Scranton and Wilkes-Barre are housed in. You can go from an affluent area with decent looking homes to a poor area with terrible looking homes in a very short period of time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
"Dreary" is subjective. I think it would be horrible to live in Greater Phoenix, where you live, and be subjected to scorching 115-degree heat indices in the summer and never see snow in the winter. I'd hate to never see leaves change or to never feel my body tingle with warmth on the first pleasant Spring day after a hearty winter. I'd hate to live in Greater Atlanta and expect the rest of the nation to bail me out due to severe drought that was caused partially due to lack of rain (and partially due to overpopulation).
You are definitely right that dreary is subjective. However, it is well known that a primary attractor to Arizona is the weather. We are now the fastest growing state in the country, with many people moving here from the East and Midwest. I think a lot more people would view 65 degree winters with sunny days as more tolerable than 29 degrees with freezing rain and sleet. Binghamton, just up 81, is one of the cloudiest, if not the cloudiest, city in the United States. Scranton is located a relatively short distance from Binghamton, so I imagine that Scranton's a pretty cloudy place, too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
NEPA Philharmonic
Everhart Museum
First Fridays Art Walks (Scranton or Wilkes-Barre)
AFA Gallery
Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble
F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
Scranton Cultural Center
Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts
Dietrich Theatre
Scranton Jazz Festival
Electric City Film Festival
Fine Arts Fiesta
Arts YOUniverse
Upcoming Artists' Colony at the Irem Temple
Potential Artists' Colony at Scranton Lace Works site
Shall I continue?
This list is certainly longer than I thought it would be. However, I am used to cities with world-class cultural exhibits. In my two weeks in Scranton, I checked out the Scranton Cultural Center and the Kirby Center's schedules. They had a great deal of performances that I had no interest in seeing.
Polka. No thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
I know of at least two individuals who are members of MENSA. I know of several people who regularly visit Manhattan just to go fashion shopping. I know of people who are performing artists. Off-Broadway shows come here. The metrosexual craze for males is still alive and well (I should know after unsuccessfully hitting on a straight guy who I thought was gay). I talk to people who read the Wall Street Journal. There is a growing community of intellectuals all over NEPA.
Again, I am pleased to learn that there is some sophistication scattered throughout that valley of yours. When I was there, it wasn't enough. My neighbors were friendly, but they weren't nearly as sophisticated as I am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
Just how long has it been since you've been to NEPA? In the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area alone, the following Starbucks exist or are opening soon:
Wilkes-Barre/South Main (Coming Soon)
Wilkes-Barre/Inside the Downtown Barnes & Noble
Wilkes-Barre Township/Highland Park
Wilkes-Barre Township/Inside the Arena Hub Barnes & Noble
Back Mountain
Moosic/Shoppes at Montage
Scranton/Inside the Mall at Steamtown
Scranton/Inside the Hilton Hotel
The Abingtons
Dickson City
I lived in Scranton back in March, if you remember. I was dissatisfied with the sparse nature or complete absence of chains I frequent. I am a Starbucks addict, and was tired of driving to Wilkes-Barre to get my daily fix.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
That's at least 10 Starbuck's locations that I can rattle off the top of my head here in the metroplex, and I've heard rumors that one is coming to Pittston Township as well to an outparcel of an upcoming shopping mall on the 315.
Haha, the 315? I have never heard "the" used in front of a route name outside of Southern California and here in Arizona.
I wouldn't call Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a metroplex, either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
By PF Chang's are you referencing the chicken place? Who needs that with all of the great mom-and-pop eateries we have in NEPA?
This is what I am talking about. Everyone should know what PF Chang's is. It is actaully a rather classy chain of Chinese restaurant, started by Wolfgang Puck.
Do you guys even have a Cheesecake Factory yet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
I'm happy for you. I truly am. After all, this is a prime case of "different strokes for different folks." I'm a snow lover, and I feel like running around my subdivision naked whenever the first flakes fall during each late-Fall season. However, I wish you would do some research on how much NEPA has started to turn itself around in the past few years since you left before you comment on your 1990s vision of this area---a time when Scranton/Wilkes-Barre had probably hit rock bottom. After all, you were unaware that the region had any Starbuck's, and I believe the first one opened over five years ago if I'm not mistaken. If it's been that long since you've been to NEPA, then you're unaware of how much work has been done over the past few years to improve our quality-of-life, especially in the SWB metroplex.
Thank you. I am aware that some people prefer a rural, rustic lifestyle to a sophisticated, urban one. As I mentioned before, I was in NEPA earlier this year, not last decade. I was not unaware that the valley had a Starbucks. I frequented the one in Wilkes-Barre Twp.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre
I really hope for your sake and everyone else in that valley that progress is being made. I was deeply saddened to see what I saw. Hopefully new development sweeps into the area soon.
Once again, best of luck to you in AZ, but just as SWB took decades to decline to its 1990s level, it will take decades to transform itself into something wonderful. I'm only 21 and will be able to live to see the point when our region's potential is fully-realized (unfortunately likely as the outermost exurb of NYC, but if that's what it takes to give us an economic shot in the arm, then so be it). I can see older folks being less optimistic about the region's future, as quite honestly they might be dead before they see this area become a true showplace.
The turnaround has already begun to occur, in my opinion---Luzerne County has grown in population from 2004-2005 and again from 2005-2006, and Lackawanna County has grown for 2005-2006 after both counties declined for decades without a single year of growth. Certainly this is an indicator that the growth in the Poconos is beginning to spill over into the SWB area.
I hope that Lackawanna County adds more residents. The area could certainly use more development and sophistication.
First off PF Changs is garbage, second Wolfgang Puck did not start that chain. I am beginning to think miamiman is some kid sitting in his basement in throop.
Chain Chinese food and Starbucks coffee...how much more sophisticated can ya get than that? I'll take the veggies from my garden, a fleece hoodie, and good ole' fresh air any day. In my circle, a penchant for hummers and chain restaurants is a clear sign of backwardness.
Well Miamiman, i'm sure you are loving driving around in your "Hummer" with your Scotsdale elite cheering you on as your tear around the bend into your brand new stucco house.
People who need affirmation by their surrondings are either new money or fake money. Which one are you? I live in Naples, people are ubsurd here. I long for the day I can be around unpretentious people later to find out their family once onwed the Erie -Lackawanna rail road and about 100,000 acres of land. People In NEPA dont need to tell you they are rich or poor, they judge by the content of one anothers character.
Drive your Hummer into your sterile neighborhood and blend in with all the other people escaping to the land stucco and skip trowlling. You can have it.
Wow...excellent post! I don't even need to respond to his post, because you summed up just what I was feeling. If I could give your post 10 positive reputations, I would have done so.
To me, there is more to life than material things. People whose lives revolve around such things are making up for a lack of the things that matter.
This is what I am talking about. Everyone should know what PF Chang's is. It is actaully a rather classy chain of Chinese restaurant, started by Wolfgang Puck.
P.F. Chang was actually created by Paul Fleming, hence the P.F. He lives either in North Scottsdale (maybe he's your neighbor) or Paradise Valley. He actually left the chain he founded, years ago, and is currenty working on new concepts for restaurants.
It's still pretty bad when you need 2 jobs to live decent
Well, then do something about it. Get en education, get some training in a field that interests you, and then follow the job opportunities wherever they may take you. Working your 2 jobs that you're miserable with and then complaining that its the fault of the area you live in is a joke. Opportunity is out there for people who want to get off their butts. Whining on an internet message board will do nothing to change your situation.
This is what I am talking about. Everyone should know what PF Chang's is. It is actaully a rather classy chain of Chinese restaurant, started by Wolfgang Puck.
Do you guys even have a Cheesecake Factory yet?
.
The fact that you view chains as "sophisticated" shows how fake you really are. Chain food is nothing but mass-produced frozen-and-reheated slop served up to lemmings. Olive Garden is a joke. We have tons of very nice family-owned home-cooked Italian restaurants here in Scr/WB. We have tons of new ethnic restaurants opening up here since the area is becoming more diverse....Thai, Indian, Brazilian, etc etc. And these places are not dumps and not cheap restaurants, and definitely not lame frozen-food chains, either. If you were as sophisticated as you claim to be, you would see that Starbucks has become the coffeehouse equivalent of McDonald's or Burger King. And I can already think of nearly 10 Starbucks in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, just to refute your lack of Starbucks.
A Chinese chain? I'll take my Chinese food made by actual Chinese people.
Keep running up your debt on plastic to keep up with the Joneses and live that empty lifestyle, you'll regret it someday. And nobody who really matters is impressed by a Hummer or any luxury vehicle. If anything people laugh at the monstrosity of Hummers.
You are definitely right that dreary is subjective. However, it is well known that a primary attractor to Arizona is the weather. We are now the fastest growing state in the country, with many people moving here from the East and Midwest. I think a lot more people would view 65 degree winters with sunny days as more tolerable than 29 degrees with freezing rain and sleet.
The Phoenix area has a little over 4 million people, while the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton area has what 650,000, how can you even compare the two. Plus it's projected by 2025 that the Phoenix area will have a little over 8 million people, good luck.
Think of the winters in PA, like the summers in AZ. While it's cold and rainy/snowy during the winters in PA, you have summers where it's 110 to 115 and lows in the 90s and kids can't even play outside, because it's so hot. When you grab your steering wheel in the summer, after your car gets up to 130 inside, that feels great, with the skin melting off your hands .
Well Miamiman, i'm sure you are loving driving around in your "Hummer" with your Scotsdale elite cheering you on as your tear around the bend into your brand new stucco house.
People who need affirmation by their surrondings are either new money or fake money. Which one are you? I live in Naples, people are ubsurd here. I long for the day I can be around unpretentious people later to find out their family once onwed the Erie -Lackawanna rail road and about 100,000 acres of land. People In NEPA dont need to tell you they are rich or poor, they judge by the content of one anothers character.
Drive your Hummer into your sterile neighborhood and blend in with all the other people escaping to the land stucco and skip trowlling. You can have it.
I think maybe the sun has just done a job on you. So what your saying is that we here in NEPA we do not have pretentious Hummer driving people that have to be affirmed by their surroundings? Your kidding right? Lets see Glenn Maura, Waverly, NORTH WASHINGTON AVE, Mt. Margret(sp?) Estates and so many more of those houses going up in the abingtons are there for the pleasure of life and not the affirmation of your new money, while you park your Hummer in the driveway for all to see. Honestly if your going to defend this area from Fl. at least be honest. We have our fair share of Neuvo Riche here who think that a new house in a cul de sac in the ABINGTONS indicates money. We also have our fair share of the New generations with family money that have yet to realize that they are big fish in a puddle and when they leave here they are amazed and dissappointed that they are really NOBODY outside of their little puddle. There are a million of those RR owners and such all over this country and how you handle what you have or where you think you come from is taught and learned from your family or friends. Some of the wealthiest and low key people I have ever met are from Fl.. I have worked on many multi million dollar yachts in the Lauderdale area and the Bahamas and what I can tell you is the people here in NEPA that think that they have money are a joke. The CEO of Jabel Circuits in the Tampa area(Terra Verde), Mr. Bill Morean, spends more on fuel for his yachts and jets in one year then the wealthiest in this area ever hope to have to spend. Last time I checked he was the in top 10 billionares in Fl. and you wouldn't know it unless he told you. I actually thought he was crew when I signed on. Hands dirty everyday. Don't kid yourself we have a large population of shallow self-affirming neuvo riche wannabes here in NEPA and the majority is buying and building in your beloved Abingtons. They are just hard to see when you run among them.
Shallow people are all over the place Dan, I know that. However when you place yourself in a gated community and limit yourself to PF changs ect you are simply insulating yourself in a false sence of being. That in My humble opinion is difficut or impossible to do in NEPA. When I was growing up I was in no way shape or form taught to be non accepting of any type of person. My parents where excellent role models in that regard. Unfortunaltly in this day and age more parents are trying to shelter their children from anything they deem negative. And unfortunalty they may deem a blue collar worker negative. I think that is wrong but what can we do.
And no the sun is not effecting me, unless you count getting tan. Pretentious up there will never match pretentious down here. Trust me on that one. Come to Naples for the week. Walk into one of the ten thousand malls and just people watch. You would think you were in Monte Carlo the way people walk with their noses in the air. And Speaking of Jabil and Tech providers, 40million Dollar home was just sold to Arthur Allen down here. Guess where he lives for a good portion of the year......YEP you guessed it WAVERLY!!!!!
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I talk to people who read the Wall Street Journal. There is a growing community of intellectuals all over NEPA.
However, I wish you would do some research on how much NEPA has started to turn itself around in the past few years since you left before you comment on your 1990s vision of this area---a time when Scranton/Wilkes-Barre had probably hit rock bottom. After all, you were unaware that the region had any Starbuck's, and I believe the first one opened over five years ago if I'm not mistaken. If it's been that long since you've been to NEPA, then you're unaware of how much work has been done over the past few years to improve our quality-of-life, especially in the SWB metroplex. 
I'll take the veggies from my garden, a fleece hoodie, and good ole' fresh air any day. In my circle, a penchant for hummers and chain restaurants is a clear sign of backwardness.
