Your Opinion of why PA sucks so bad... (Philadelphia, Reading: unemployment rate, pros and cons)

[Clark Park]

I like PA.

The scenery and the countryside is beautiful.

It's full of history ... everything from Valley Forge to Gettysburg ...

It has four seasons, and here in Philly the winters are not so bad like they are in the Mid-West or New England.

We have Wawa (and Sheetz)!

We also have Herr's and Utz and Tasteykakes and especial Yeungling!!!!

You can see Amish riding around in their horse and buggies.

Our state capitol building in Harrisburg is very impressive.

Were else to you have an underground coal mine fire that has been burning for more than 50 years (Centralia)?

Our official state dance is the Polka! And we even have a song "The Pennsylvania Polka"!!!

Our most famous animal is a groundhog.

There's an Andy Warhol museum in the 'Burg.

We have is Phillies, the Eagles, the Flyers and the Sixers.

We know the difference between Penn State and the State Pen.

James Buchanan, the only gay president of the US, was from Lancaster.

... what's not to love?????

[bolillo_loco]

There is one thing I think sucks about Pennsylvania, lack of gainful employment for unskilled working class people. This is not unique to Pennsylvania, so the other 50 states “suck” equally as well.

The reason why it sucks so bad for me is that I was born in 65, so I well remember all the factories that dotted even the smallest of towns. I’ve seen the change, and I am deeply saddened that we’re part of the rustbelt. Moreover, I used to be one of those high paid union factory workers for ten years of my life, so it's especially personal for me.

[RSFMomma]

You forgot something-- Middleswarth BBQ Potato Chips. There aren't any chips anywhere that are as good as those, and I don't think you can buy them anywhere but PA.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by bolillo_loco

There is one thing I think sucks about Pennsylvania, lack of gainful employment for unskilled working class people. This is not unique to Pennsylvania, so the other 50 states “suck” equally as well.

This is true. Sadly, I think we're long past the time when your average Joe could walk into any factory and earn enough to raise a family and even take the occasional vacation. There are still jobs out there for the unskilled, but it's a complete lifestyle change.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by RSFMomma

You forgot something-- Middleswarth BBQ Potato Chips. There aren't any chips anywhere that are as good as those, and I don't think you can buy them anywhere but PA.

No way! Grandma Utz's!

hainitorno?

[jeepejeep]

Originally Posted by DowntownHarrisburg

This is true. Sadly, I think we're long past the time when your average Joe could walk into any factory and earn enough to raise a family and even take the occasional vacation. There are still jobs out there for the unskilled, but it's a complete lifestyle change.

This is not limited to PA though. If you want any kind of decent pay and benefits, you have to have some kind of skill these days.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by jeepejeep

This is not limited to PA though. If you want any kind of decent pay and benefits, you have to have some kind of skill these days.

Yep - as the last guy said.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by jeepejeep

This is not limited to PA though. If you want any kind of decent pay and benefits, you have to have some kind of skill these days.

Which in many ways was always true. Yes manufacturing paid fairly good wages but in order to get out of the general labor pool you still had to get training, many times there OJT as an apprentice, to become a journeyman electrician, welder, mouldmaker, etc.

[PeeAye Native]

Originally Posted by RSFMomma

You forgot something-- Middleswarth BBQ Potato Chips. There aren't any chips anywhere that are as good as those, and I don't think you can buy them anywhere but PA.

And now available in the Philly suburbs at Redner's Markets.

[RomaniGypsy]

Let me ask you all a question... those who love PA and those who hate PA.

I'm going to preface this by saying that I have lived in three different areas of PA and I always loved it as a younger fellow. I moved to the South because I was tired of the economic devastation that was characteristic of the area where I lived... and the long, cold, snowy winters didn't help matters much either.

If your livelihood was not tied to an area of excellent economic prospects, would you still want to live in a "happening city" or would you like to disappear into the backwoods of a rural place like the "Pennsyltucky" parts of PA?

It really would be interesting to see what people would say to this question, across the nation. After all, if you could make a good living no matter where you lived, who would really want to live in a polluted, stinky, congested, expensive city?