Why you should NOT move to Pittsburgh (Duquesne, Penn: chapel, how much)
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I've lived in 5 different cities in my life. They ALL have good points and bad points. If you don't like a city - LEAVE and look forward. I hated the midwest (for myself) but I would never say it sin't right for some others. We are all different.
That's exactly right. Myself, I would hate living in the south or deep south, but think I'd be ok with the midwest, personally.
I haven't made any commitments. It's still a year and a half until I graduate. There are some decent M.E. jobs here in western PA. I'm just leary of doing anything related to manufacturing because of outsourcing. Then again, if the value of the dollar keeps falling relative to other currencies (because of the trade deficiets) that will make imports more expensive. Companies will have less incentive to outsource. I guess it goes to show that a free-market system is self-regulating to a large extent.
One way or the other, global demand for petroleum is soaring and will continue to do so as China and India grow. Think gasoline is expensive now? Just wait 5 or 10 years. Houston is home to many large oil-related businesses, so part of me thinks it would be crazy to not take advantage that booming industry.
The main problem with Houston is the crazy traffic. They are just now starting to build an extensive rail network. Their housing costs are on-par with Pittsburgh. The main reason they avoided the housing bubble is due to their high property taxes, which kept out speculators (thank goodness). The high property taxes are offset by the lack of income tax in Texas. Unless I were to buy a big expensive house in Houston, my taxes would be about the same in both places.
If I chose Houston, I would definitely make living close to work a big priority, even if it meant higher rents. The "energy corridor" is located near the western suburbs, so if I were to get a job there, commuting would be less of a problem.
But then again Pittsburgh definitely has its perks. Closer to family, moderate climate, hills, bridges, architecture, etc. It won't be an easy decision when the time comes.
I got out to both Philly and Denver after college. It is sometimes best to go out see other cities then come back if you don't like it. I missed Pittsburgh for the town, but also the family. It sucked seeing my family once a year at Christmas. Then Christmas is so busy you have like a few hours to spend with them. Pittsburgh is a nice place to live. I further noticed that after moving out for a while. The town is big, but small enough to not drive you crazy. The people here are great, the town itself is beautful, it is cheap, and if you get a good job you have it made. Remember one thing, if you have a mechanical engineering degree you can work anywhere. Engineering jobs in Pittsburgh pay about the same anywhere else. It is cheaper too.
Also remember another thing, you can work in other places in engineering then the exact degree you have. I do what I graduated in, but I work with people who graduated in other engineering degrees like ME, or EE but do AE work.
Just wait 5 or 10 years. Houston is home to many large oil-related businesses, so part of me thinks it would be crazy to not take advantage that booming industry.
This industry is self-limiting!! Don't forget. Major oil companies are actually drilling new holes LESS and less each year (according to them). They might be in clear water for the VERY immediate future, but once we have a network of hydrogen or once the GM Volt comes out for 2010 etc, the oil industry won't be on firm footing.
Once we have our own infrastructure set up for alternative fuels, we, being the "world-leaders" will undoubtedly help India and China do the same thing.
People WANT alternative fuels, people DON'T WANT oil companies. That's a key paradigm. And do you know what city is one of the country leaders in alternative fuels? Yep, Pittsburgh. Also don't forget, I think current projections say we only have, what, 20 years left of crude oil?
"women are women's own worst enemy and the glass ceiling is heavily self-fulfilling"
It wasn't my statement, but women are extremely critical and judgemental of each other which can hurt them in the work environment, and they communicate in ways different from men. A CMU professor has given lectures on the topic "women don't ask." Her thesis is that many women don't ask for promotions or more responsibilities or better benefits because they don't want to be seen as difficult or as *******, whereas men do all of that and climb the professional ladder much more easily.
Please elaborate on your statement that "women are women's own worst enemy and the glass ceiling is heavily self-fulfilling".
Fine.
Last year I had a management and social-skills class. My class has about 140 students and men are the minority by a pretty large margin.
We went to class one week not knowing what we would talk about and our professor went around the room and simply asked EVERY person if they would rather have a man manager or a female manager and why.
Every single man in the room (besides me, the one and ONLY) said men, which is not surprising.
What WAS surprising is that over 90% of the women ALSO said men.
Reasons that women gave?
"Men just have more of an authoritative presence"
"Patients just seem to respect men more and I think they leave feeling more confidant when they've had a male pharmacist"
"Women stay more passive because they are afraid of labels, aka "bi**h"
"Men aren't as easily pushed over as women"
"Women are too clique-y and gossipy"
"I am more comfortable working with men than women"
"Men just have a more confidant and compelling aura"
"Women are too catty and play favorites"
"Men are less lead by emotions and have a firmer work ethic"
"Men have more initiative and are less afraid of their own bosses"
It went on and on, the same type of comments, things I don't even agree with. And these are INTELLIGENT and WELL-OFF women, they aren't your naive women who think their place is at home knitting while men are the bread winners (which is FINE, btw).
After everything was said, the professor asked, playing devil's advocate, "and why should we want to hire you if you don't want to even hire yourself?"
Silence.
"Do you not believe the glass-ceiling is self-filling? Because I just saw it."
Silence.
He was making a point and his lecture was ENCOURAGING women to break out of their boxes. We also did a few more exercises with very similar results that I won't go into.
Now I'm not saying that sexist doesn't exist and that there aren't tons of instances where hard working women are simply treated unfairly, because they are.
But the class, albeit not a scientific instrument, was extremely surprising to me and I know it was scary to a lot of the young women.
I can tell you that in my company there are more women managers than men. I believe the women want to follow that career track are are certainly being given the oppurtunity and have been for years. This isn't college - this is real life.
This industry is self-limiting!! Don't forget. Major oil companies are actually drilling new holes LESS and less each year (according to them). They might be in clear water for the VERY immediate future, but once we have a network of hydrogen or once the GM Volt comes out for 2010 etc, the oil industry won't be on firm footing.
Once we have our own infrastructure set up for alternative fuels, we, being the "world-leaders" will undoubtedly help India and China do the same thing.
People WANT alternative fuels, people DON'T WANT oil companies. That's a key paradigm. And do you know what city is one of the country leaders in alternative fuels? Yep, Pittsburgh. Also don't forget, I think current projections say we only have, what, 20 years left of crude oil?
Most of that stuff is true, but gasoline-powered cars will still be cheaper than brand new technology for awhile. How long? Who knows. I hope to see the Chevy Volt succeed. It's a good concept: run on electricity for short trips (when gasoline engines are running cold and inneficiently) and then use gasoline for longer trips when the batteries run out. I think we are heading into a "transition" era when we will use a mix of petroleum and electricity for our tansportation needs. One could argue that it started with the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight, and I think they'd be right. Petroleum will still be an economical source of energy until we head past "peak oil", and even then we will still be using it...just much more sparingly. Also, "Big Oil" knows that it will have to change to survive. They are researching alternatives like biomass and solar. I think BP or Shell is one of the leading makers of solar panels if I'm not mistaken.
Since we'll be needing much more electricity to charge up these future electric vehicles, I've actually thought about going into the electrical generation industry. There's a technology called "Coal Gassification" that increases efficieny of coal-power plants and also allows for the sequestering of 90% of the carbon-dioxide. We have lots of coal left in the U.S., and lots of it in the Pittsburgh region. The DOE is researching ways to make "clean coal" cheaper. Right now it's probably too expensive to be competitive though.
You and me both kpoeppel. Inside sources claim GM is WAY ahead of the competition when it comes to LI-ION batteries and hydrogen technology. It would be wonderful if they could once again become the world-leader and save the environment!!
Quote:
I think BP or Shell is one of the leading makers of solar panels if I'm not mistaken.
I think it's BP. That's true! I hope they DO change, for their sake!
Quote:
There's a technology called "Coal Gassification" that increases efficieny of coal-power plants and also allows for the sequestering of 90% of the carbon-dioxide. We have lots of coal left in the U.S., and lots of it in the Pittsburgh region. The DOE is researching ways to make "clean coal" cheaper. Right now it's probably too expensive to be competitive though.
Last year I had a management and social-skills class. My class has about 140 students and men are the minority by a pretty large margin.
We went to class one week not knowing what we would talk about and our professor went around the room and simply asked EVERY person if they would rather have a man manager or a female manager.
Every single man in the room (besides me, the one and ONLY) said men, which is not surprising.
What WAS surprising is that over 90% of the women ALSO said men.
Reasons that women gave?
"Men just have more of an authoritative presence"
"Patients just seem to respect men more and I think they leave feeling more confidant when they've had a male pharmacist"
"Men aren't as easily pushed over as women"
"Women are too clique-y and gossipy"
"I am more comfortable working with men than women"
"Men just have a more confidant and compelling aura"
"Women are too catty and play favorites"
"Men are less lead by emotions and have a firmer work ethic"
"Men have more initiative and are less afraid of their own bosses"
It went on and on, the same type of comments, things I don't even agree with. And these are INTELLIGENT and WELL-OFF women, they aren't your naive women who think their place is at home knitting while men are the bread winners (which is FINE, btw).
After everything was said, the professor asked, playing devil's advocate, "and why should we want to hire you if you don't want to even hire yourself?"
Silence.
"Do you not believe the glass-ceiling is self-filling? Because I just saw it."
Silence.
He was making a point and his lecture was ENCOURAGING women to break out of their boxes. We also did a few more exercises with very similar results that I won't go into.
Now I'm not saying that sexist doesn't exist and that there aren't tons of instances where hard working women are simply treated unfairly, because they are.
But the class, albeit not a scientific instrument, was extremely surprising to me and I know it was scary to a lot of the young women.
Interesting. I applaud your professor for bringing up this topic and helping these women open their eyes to this situation.
Maybe it's the nature of growing up in Western Pennsylvania that shaped these women's viewpoint. The Pittsburgh area is not known for its progressive stance toward women, as evidenced by comments like, "I don't believe that women are paid less than men," even though the evidence is to the contrary.
What I said, is you are paid on what you do for your company. In my firm there are 4 women managers with men working under them. The managers make more money. This problem is not just in western pa also. This is national.
I can't stand when people take something you say, twist it, and try to use it for their benefit.
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