Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Northeastern Pennsylvania
 [Register]
Northeastern Pennsylvania Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 11-07-2010, 07:43 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,606 posts, read 77,274,241 times
Reputation: 19071

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by toobusytoday View Post
So instead of trying SOMETHING to draw people should the business owners just say, heck with new business, we're just going to close up early as usual so the Scranton bashers can keep complaining that there is nothing to do?
Yep. Now you see the difference between Eeyore-like Scranton and Rust Belt REBOUNDERS like Pittsburgh. Not every city that got smacked upside the head economically decades ago feels the need to continue to play the "victim" card in 2010. Pittsburgh has rapidly diversified its economy into higher education, health care, environmental engineering, and even robotics.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 11-07-2010, 09:56 PM
 
Location: Scranton PA
159 posts, read 316,507 times
Reputation: 103
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008 View Post
Scranton isn't exactly a place for fine arts or the like.
Well, apparently it is as a lot of people are attending the First Friday events.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2010, 10:01 PM
 
539 posts, read 1,063,091 times
Reputation: 439
I always thought Pittsburgh was cool. I went there twice, in 1978 and in 1989.
Frank's Photography Site
Frank's Photography Site
I'm a rail buff and liked the trolleys & such. It seemed like a real nice place with all the hills, and I even stopped at a bar and the locals were friendly.
The second trip was for a Grateful Dead show, went with a good buddy and we had a great time. It's a heck of a drive from there to NEPA though.
Rebounding back from the old steel age, it seems like they did a good job, lots of improvements and quote an urban character to the city too.
The real estate is reasonable, as you say, but they are also feeling the pinch from these economic downtimes.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-07-2010, 11:08 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,606 posts, read 77,274,241 times
Reputation: 19071
Quote:
Originally Posted by frank754 View Post
I always thought Pittsburgh was cool. I went there twice, in 1978 and in 1989.
Frank's Photography Site
Frank's Photography Site
I'm a rail buff and liked the trolleys & such. It seemed like a real nice place with all the hills, and I even stopped at a bar and the locals were friendly.
The second trip was for a Grateful Dead show, went with a good buddy and we had a great time. It's a heck of a drive from there to NEPA though.
Rebounding back from the old steel age, it seems like they did a good job, lots of improvements and quote an urban character to the city too.
The real estate is reasonable, as you say, but they are also feeling the pinch from these economic downtimes.
I wasn't trying to specifically side-step this into a Pittsburgh discussion; however, Pittsburgh and Scranton are in many ways representative of one another. Both cities have been enduring a severe population nosedive for decades attributed to urban sprawl, a declining birth rate, an aging population, and Sunbelt flight. Both cities are home to distinctive ethnic neighborhoods replete with history. Both cities had their primary blue-collar industries collapse. Both cities have very "salt of the earth" sort of residents who tell it like it is and aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty to help a neighbor in need by rolling meatballs for a charity spaghetti dinner benefit. Both cities, also, have been plagued by chronic negativity by residents themselves. Both cities are regional higher education and health care hubs.

The difference? While Pittsburgh has made lemonade out of lemons, Scranton continues to bash those lemons off their foreheads in angst. They know the tasty juice lies within the rind of the lemon, yet they prefer to prolong their thirst for revitalization instead of quenching it. Pittsburgh, even in just the past decade alone has ratcheted up into the limelight with increasing frequency. Several movies debuting this month are largely filmed in/around the Steel City, it was just rated "America's Most Livable City", "The Best City to Relocate To", was one of the "Best Cities in Which to Raise a Child" and is home to Mt. Washington, which offers the "Second-Best Urban Vistas in America." If you go onto the Pittsburgh sub-forum you'll find a core group of roughly a dozen regulars who are very supportive, optimistic, and loyal towards their city. On here those like Sheena or myself who dare to say anything contrary to the "this place sucks" majority belief are booed and hissed by those who are too short-sighted to see how their own negativity damages the city we are all trying to help get its act together. There is major power and influence in collective positive thinking and press. It was through hours of research on here (amongst other sources, including city visits) that I chose Pittsburgh out of several other cities for my impending relocation. Anyone Googling relocation-oriented information about Scranton would read half the Scranton-oriented threads on this sub-forum and immediately become discouraged. How does that "benefit" the city?

Also, Frank, you are correct in that Pittsburgh hasn't been recession-proof, but it has been considerably recession-resistant. The city's unemployment rate has been consistently below the national and state averages during the Great Recession. That's nothing to sneeze at. Pittsburgh's residents have begun to adapt to the changing times. Instead of "clinging to God, gays, and guns" (to paraphrase an out-of-context quote from our nation's highest executive officer) 1/3 of the city's residents aged 25 or over possess at least a Bachelor's Degree and well over 50% of residents aged 25 to 34 possess at least a Bachelor's Degree. This permits the city to have a more diversified labor pool that is conducive to attracting a better mixture of employers, enabling the city to transition, finally, away from steel and into the 21st Century. Scranton? 1/6 of the city's residents aged 25 or over possess at least a Bachelor's Degree (half the number of Pittsburgh), and just over 1/4 aged 25 to 34 have at least a 4-year degree. That still means that the vast majority of our labor pool is unprepared for our nation's continued transition from one that "builds/makes" things to one that markets/services/sells the things produced in other nations. People always attack me for being an elitist, but while I can safely say college is NOT for everyone at the same time too many in Scranton have this mindset that someone who doesn't invest the time, effort, or fiduciary resources to pursue advanced education deserves the same level of compensation as those who did. That's lunacy. I still can't believe there are so many people angry that the position of Luzerne County Manager under the newly-approved Home Rule Charter requires at least a Bachelor's Degree. Folks, this is the year 2010 (almost 2011). The Bachelor's Degree is the new high school diploma in this nation, and yet in Scranton we still have people who think a high school diploma alone is a ticket to a high-paying career (which is only possible for the few who will use that high school diploma to open a business, apply a learned trade, etc.)

Once again this thread isn't about "Pittsburgh vs. Scranton", but when people want to know what Scranton COULD be someday I just point at Pittsburgh and let the rapidly-improving statistics there do the rest of my arguing for me. If people in Scranton would just stop being so damn resistant to change or progress and would be more optimistic and supportive of new initiatives the Electric City could truly be "recharged." Wilkes-Barre is surging past Scranton now in terms of city-wide revitalization---new neighborhood playgrounds, blight removal, flood control projects, beefing up of the police department, surveillance cameras, improving Downtown nightlife and retail/dining options, and all with a balanced budget.---and I'm noticing that as I, "LuzerneCountyRefugee", battle negativity on otherwise positive articles about the city on the web site of the Times-Leader I'm now getting more "thumbs up" affirmation and reinforcing replies from others who are finally stepping forward to say "Well, the city can't suck forever, so why not give these changes a chance?" I don't see the negativity in Scranton going "unchecked", and this is what disgusts and concerns me. I'm also "TheREALSWB" on the web site of the Scranton Times-Tribune, and I was involved with a spat once with a "LesFan" who kept telling me "nobody asked you to battle the Doomers..." You see, folks, that's the problem, though. Nobody should have HAD to have asked me. If you love your city, then why would you let her image be dragged through the mud by middle-aged professional burn-outs who'd rather blame their life's failures upon their surroundings and their politicians instead of rallying to champion her and defending her integrity to those who might want to help upright her? I know a few on here are rolling their eyes reading this. So be it. It shouldn't take a resident of suburban Virginia to be the one who has to "single-handedly" fight these short-sighted morons all over the Internet as they threaten to derail the fragile recovery of both cities with their vitriol that turns away prospective new investment (yes, I HAVE spoken to prospective new residents to Scranton who decided to NOT move to the city due to the negativity of the current general populace---so choke on that!)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-08-2010, 04:46 AM
 
Location: Sheeptown, USA
3,236 posts, read 6,628,520 times
Reputation: 907
Quote:
Originally Posted by weluvpa View Post
I would venture to guess hat 99.9% of the people will not read that diatribe. My god man get a life.
We get it Paul. You have stated this before and it's the same, just like this city, it won't change. I've faced it and many others have, Scranton is what is it and will never be anything different.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-08-2010, 05:52 AM
 
2,760 posts, read 3,928,724 times
Reputation: 1977
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008 View Post
We get it Paul. You have stated this before and it's the same, just like this city, it won't change. I've faced it and many others have, Scranton is what is it and will never be anything different.
I agree with you to a point, Scranton has great potential, but it has to fix what is already broke, before that potential can be realized. That is the rub...the powers that be are more concerned with keeping power then using it to rebuild or refurbish what needs to be rebuilt and refurbished...like I dunno the INFRASTRUCTURE!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-08-2010, 06:13 AM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,163,891 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by weluvpa View Post
Never said I was right, my dear. What I said was that a girl wrapped in saran wrap in a picture was being passed off as art. IMHO I don't see that as art and neither did the business owner that agreed to participate and because of that the business was unlikely to get involved again. That is what they told me.


Listen folks, especially those that are preaching from areas outside of Scranton, if you want to come down to a Friday artwalk then by all means come down and walk around.

Like NYRangers said this is not the village, nor is the fashion district, its Scranton, nothing more, nothing less....Don't expect much or anything for that matter and you won't be disappointed.
Just because you see it as a "passing off" of art doesn't make it so. I AM saying that you are wrong.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-08-2010, 06:15 AM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,163,891 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008 View Post
Exactly. We live here and have a right to say what we want about the city. We don't bash WB, Pittston or Old Forge. If you want to come here and waste your time with an art walk, be our guests. Scranton isn't exactly a place for fine arts or the like.

Oh please. You two just cannot grasp that there are talented people that live in our area. I have a feeling that those that are bashing wouldn't know how to judge a piece of art if it bit them in the ass.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-08-2010, 06:27 AM
 
2,760 posts, read 3,928,724 times
Reputation: 1977
Quote:
Originally Posted by Magritte25 View Post
Oh please. You two just cannot grasp that there are talented people that live in our area. I have a feeling that those that are bashing wouldn't know how to judge a piece of art if it bit them in the ass.
Art is very subjective...your opinion of a piece of art is YOUR opinion. Modern art...never got most of it and never will. Do we all remember the Madonna made from dung?!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-08-2010, 06:48 AM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,163,891 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by loveinbloom View Post
Art is very subjective...your opinion of a piece of art is YOUR opinion. Modern art...never got most of it and never will. Do we all remember the Madonna made from dung?!
Whether it's good or bad is your opinion. Whether it is art or not, is not up for opinion.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Pennsylvania > Northeastern Pennsylvania
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top