The Rest of PA's opinions on Philly? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: home, to live)

[Pike320]

Originally Posted by g500

I've lived in central PA my whole life and I think we should recognize we have a major international city in our state. Philadelphia is certainly in the top 100 most important cities on Earth. IMO Philadelphia is somewhere between the seventh (7th) to ninth (9th) most important city nationally in the USA.

That being said, Philly is far from perfect. Blight, crime, and unemployment plague the city. It has a bad (and sometimes unfair) perception for being dangerous and harsh. North Philadelphia (Kensington) seems to have serious issues. West Philadelphia also has some of the same issues, but less pronounced.

I really hope Philadelphia will improve itself because Pennsylvania as a whole will benefit. Also Philadelphia has one of the best downtowns and some of the best urban bones in the country (only behind NYC, Chicago, maybe San Francisco). It has much potential.

You forgot to mention the deep, deep corruption in Philadelphia government and the judicial system.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by Pike320

You forgot to mention the deep, deep corruption in Philadelphia government and the judicial system.

The intentions of your post were probably not meant to be constructive, but this point is probably the #1 issue that holds the city back, and the catalyst for several other problems.

A positive tide has started to shift due to the growth of many neighborhoods, but still a ways to go.

[fat lou]

Originally Posted by KoNgFooCj

Actually PA is quite a bit less diverse than even Illinois, a Midwestern prairie state. And PA is a lot less diverse and whiter than all of it's Northeastern counterparts. I hope this changes.

Too many damned white people for your liking, huh? So what do you have against white people? Can you even explain it?

[fat lou]

Originally Posted by trackstar13

Good point, but not what I was referring to in my previous post. I was speaking to diversity of topography, type/size of cities, state parks, regions, etc. I have always been fascinated at how different places like Erie, Scranton, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, State College, Johnstown, Lancaster, York, Allentown, etc. are from each other. Additionally, the various regions of the state such as NWPA, SWPA, SEPA, NEPA, Central PA, etc. are all very different and distinct. There are a diverse amount of opportunities for PA residents including large museums, arts, culture, sports, wilderness, a national forest, a great lake, hiking the Appalachian trail, etc.

Don't bother. For some people race is such an overriding obsession that they can hardly think of anything else.

[KoNgFooCj]

Originally Posted by fat lou

Too many damned white people for your liking, huh? So what do you have against white people? Can you even explain it?

I just think the demographics should align a little more closely with PA's peer states. I wouldn't even mind PA remaining the whitest state in the Northeast, it's just awkward being *that much whiter than the other Northeast states.

[Mrs. Skeffington]

Originally Posted by KoNgFooCj

I just think the demographics should align a little more closely with PA's peer states. I wouldn't even mind PA remaining the whitest state in the Northeast, it's just awkward being *that much whiter than the other Northeast states.

I'm from a PA area that is 98 percent white. Funny, I don't hear anyone complain of feeling "awkward".

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by KoNgFooCj

I just think the demographics should align a little more closely with PA's peer states. I wouldn't even mind PA remaining the whitest state in the Northeast, it's just awkward being *that much whiter than the other Northeast states.

Well, to be clear, you seem to be purposefully excluding the Northern New England states, in that case. New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine are much whiter than PA. I don't know that many people would describe racial demographics as "awkward." It just "is" as a result of migration and settlement patterns.

That being said, Pennsylvania actually has one of the fastest declining white populations in the US in both raw numbers and percentage terms, with minority populations making up all of the state's growth moving forward. So, it's certainly getting more diverse over time.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Skeffington

I'm from a PA area that is 98 percent white. Funny, I don't hear anyone complain of feeling "awkward".

You might have a different insight into this matter if you polled the other 2%.

[fat lou]

Originally Posted by KoNgFooCj

I just think the demographics should align a little more closely with PA's peer states. I wouldn't even mind PA remaining the whitest state in the Northeast, it's just awkward being *that much whiter than the other Northeast states.

What difference does it make? And what are the "peer states?"

[fat lou]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

You might have a different insight into this matter if you polled the other 2%.

Are those 2% forced to live in that place?