Pittsburgh IS NOT IN ANYWAY a Northeastern City (Republic: schools, weather)

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Pittsburgh is cosmopolitan because of Ross Park Mall. I have seriously read it all.

Upscale retailers are very picky about where they locate. They only locate where they believe there are enough people who appreciate the quality of their products and services to make a profit. Many of those retailers happen to be at Ross Park Mall. I mentioned the presence of upscale retail because it's the most obvious indicator of cosmopolites among the general population, and people only have to be minimally observant to notice them. Not everybody with money to burn is cosmopolitan, but more of them are than aren't.

Speaking of upscale retailers, have you ever heard of the Primadonna Collection? They're a retailer based in Italy that specializes in leather shoes and accessories, and they also have stores in Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain and the United Arab Emirates. Right now, they have only one location in the United States: Shadyside, on Filbert Street, half a block south of Liberty International Studies Elementary School, right next to Prantl's Bakery. It's been such a success that a second location is about to open at South Hills Village, and they want to open a third location at -- you guessed it -- Ross Park Mall.

By the way, you really should read about how Pittsburgh ended up with the first Primadonna Collection store in the United States.

Originally Posted by Barbara Gambotto

There's nothing better than fine Italian leather shoes. You won't find products like the Primadonna Collection's anywhere else. I'm so happy to get to share these products with American women.

[My brother] always said living in Pittsburgh was fantastic. I knew we'd be better off in Pittsburgh than any other city. After being here and experiencing it for myself, I really think it's the best city in the world.

The people in Pittsburgh are fantastic. Everyone that comes into my store is lovely and friendly. They are very understanding that English is my second language and have patience with me.

I always tell my children that life in Pittsburgh is a good life. I hope the city stays this way for a long time because my life here is a dream.

Originally Posted by pghdude28

Pittsburgh is NOT cosmopolitan in anyway shape or form.

[javajive711]

I dare OP to walk into any bar in Allegheny County and tell the patrons that they remind him of Mr. Rogers.

[JimboPGH]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

The Yahoo map was posted earlier in the thread... by you.

Oh, heh, that map. It's a pretty terrific deconstruction of largely arbitrary state boundaries. Take away the constraint of having to make for equal electoral college districts, and it would be about the best possible redrawing of the U.S.

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

And while you're correct about accent barriers to an extent, all non-rhotic American dialects originated in/flowed out from the Philadelphia/Baltimore corridor, something the "cultural" map very largely reflects. Just because people from Des Moines pronounce their R's doesn't mean they have much in common with people from Philly. I think that map even lumped in parts of the Dakotas into that region...

I haven't been to Des Moines, but I imagine it does have a lot in common culturally with Harrisburg; I've heard that Iowa is basically a big, flat Central PA. And if it had a big city, I bet it would be like Philadelphia, played at 33 RPMs instead of 78.

Also, the middle American accent is more defined by more than just being rhotic; the Great Lakes region pronounce their "Rs," but there are a lot of vowel difference between their speech vs. the "Heartland" of Kansas, Iowa, Central Illinois, etc..

The American Nations map comes into much clearer focus after reading the book. While there are some flaws in Woodswarth's assertions, I think he's generally right about there not really being such a thing as the "midwest" or the "northeast." New England and the Mid-Atlantic are quite different from each other, and those differences are evident when breaking down "the midwest;" the Great Lakes region is different from New England, but it is of New England, and the same goes for "the Heartland" and the Mid-Atlantic.

He also freely admits in the book that the Midlands and Greater Appalachia largely bleed into each other and that all artificial boundaries are fluid. American culture and regionalism are complex and hard to pin down, no matter the framework, and Pittsburgh is one of the best manifestations of that.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by JimboPGH

Oh, heh, that map. It's a pretty terrific deconstruction of largely arbitrary state boundaries. Take away the constraint of having to make for equal electoral college districts, and it would be about the best possible redrawing of the U.S.



I haven't been to Des Moines, but I imagine it does have a lot in common culturally with Harrisburg; I've heard that Iowa is basically a big, flat Central PA. And if it had a big city, I bet it would be like Philadelphia, played at 33 RPMs instead of 78.

Also, the middle American accent is more defined by more than just being rhotic; the Great Lakes region pronounce their "Rs," but there are a lot of vowel difference between their speech vs. the "Heartland" of Kansas, Iowa, Central Illinois, etc..

The American Nations map comes into much clearer focus after reading the book. While there are some flaws in Woodswarth's assertions, I think he's generally right about there not really being such a thing as the "midwest" or the "northeast." New England and the Mid-Atlantic are quite different from each other, and those differences are evident when breaking down "the midwest;" the Great Lakes region is different from New England, but it is of New England, and the same goes for "the Heartland" and the Mid-Atlantic.

He also freely admits in the book that the Midlands and Greater Appalachia largely bleed into each other and that all artificial boundaries are fluid. American culture and regionalism are complex and hard to pin down, no matter the framework, and Pittsburgh is one of the best manifestations of that.

A lot here to respond to (and I'm on a phone/have tired thumbs ) but I know the Midwest accents are defined by much more than being rhotic. I'm saying that the rhoticity came from one relatively small place, which gradually spread outward. Other than that, I don't see a whole ton in common (accent or otherwise). I simply don't see the "happy trail" that connects Philadelphia (but not, say, Pittsburgh or Buffalo) to those areas.

[JimboPGH]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

A lot here to respond to (and I'm on a phone/have tired thumbs ) but I know the Midwest accents are defined by much more than being rhotic. I'm saying that the rhoticity came from one relatively small place, which gradually spread outward. Other than that, I don't see a whole ton in common (accent or otherwise). I simply don't see the "happy trail" that connects Philadelphia (but not, say, Pittsburgh or Buffalo) to those areas.

Well Pittsburgh IS connected to those area. Buffalo is on the "Yankeedom" continuum.

I'd like to make a stronger, more objective case but I spent the day's final CCs of coherent brain goo on that last post.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by JimboPGH

Oh, heh, that map. It's a pretty terrific deconstruction of largely arbitrary state boundaries. Take away the constraint of having to make for equal electoral college districts, and it would be about the best possible redrawing of the U.S.



I haven't been to Des Moines, but I imagine it does have a lot in common culturally with Harrisburg; I've heard that Iowa is basically a big, flat Central PA. And if it had a big city, I bet it would be like Philadelphia, played at 33 RPMs instead of 78.

Also, the middle American accent is more defined by more than just being rhotic; the Great Lakes region pronounce their "Rs," but there are a lot of vowel difference between their speech vs. the "Heartland" of Kansas, Iowa, Central Illinois, etc..

The American Nations map comes into much clearer focus after reading the book. While there are some flaws in Woodswarth's assertions, I think he's generally right about there not really being such a thing as the "midwest" or the "northeast." New England and the Mid-Atlantic are quite different from each other, and those differences are evident when breaking down "the midwest;" the Great Lakes region is different from New England, but it is of New England, and the same goes for "the Heartland" and the Mid-Atlantic.

He also freely admits in the book that the Midlands and Greater Appalachia largely bleed into each other and that all artificial boundaries are fluid. American culture and regionalism are complex and hard to pin down, no matter the framework, and Pittsburgh is one of the best manifestations of that.

You've been told wrong about Iowa. It's actually pretty hilly, rolling hills all across I-80. It's also farm country, "Big Ag" country. Iowans talk much like Chicagoans, not quite so nasally as people from the very upper midwest.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by JimboPGH

Well Pittsburgh IS connected to those area. Buffalo is on the "Yankeedom" continuum.

I'd like to make a stronger, more objective case but I spent the day's final CCs of coherent brain goo on that last post.

Ahh, for some reason I misremembered the map somewhat.

Looking at it again, I think a case can be made from South Jersey through to Eastern Ohio (with the Susquehanna being an intra-regional inflection point). Past that point though, the rest of Ohio, and Indiana and Illinois? And especially Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, the Dakotas, and the Oklahoma panhandle? I don't see it.

We'll just have to agree on the reconfigured 50 states with equal populations map.

[JimboPGH]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

We'll just have to agree on the reconfigured 50 states with equal populations map.

Here's to the Great State of Allegheny!

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Katiana

You've been told wrong about Iowa. It's actually pretty hilly, rolling hills all across I-80. It's also farm country, "Big Ag" country. Iowans talk much like Chicagoans, not quite so nasally as people from the very upper midwest.

I heard Iowa's main crop is marijuana and the corn fields are just a cover.

Anyways, you didn't address the main point of his post---by the Central PA part he meant uneducated conservative.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I heard Iowa's main crop is marijuana and the corn fields are just a cover.

Anyways, you didn't address the main point of his post---by the Central PA part he meant uneducated conservative.

Then that doesn't describe Iowa at all.
Iowa QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau
HS graduates-90.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher-25.3%

United States congressional delegations from Iowa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Senators: 1 D, 1 R
Representatives: 2 D, 2 R

Republican governor