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Considering that you called it sub-zero temperatures when it was nowhere near, I'd say you're the one who overreacted and was being dramatic.
I remember that day, and most of those school districts involved children who had to walk to school (i.e. Mt. Lebanon, City of Pittsburgh, etc.) or schools in outlying counties that had much worse weather to deal with.
You have a huge chip on your shoulder and a lot of bitterness about this that it seems entirely unreasonable to even try to engage you in an intellectual discussion on the subject. If someone disagrees with you, they are automatically part of that status quo.
So not agreeing that Pittsburghers are not willing to change is having a chip on my shoulder? Wow, no wonder no one but the Pittsburgh cheerleaders like these threads.
I happen to care about the safety of my children and if that makes me dramatic, then so be it. Whom, pray tell, do you think should be protecting our children? The administraters and teachers at our school district? Oh, sorry. They are too busy hiring their relatives and preventing change.
Maybe you are right. I need to go back to posting on other threads, where I don't need to defend myself for having a different opinion, and where intellectual discussions are easier to come by.
So not agreeing that Pittsburghers are not willing to change is having a chip on my shoulder? Wow, no wonder no one but the Pittsburgh cheerleaders like these threads.
I happen to care about the safety of my children and if that makes me dramatic, then so be it. Whom, pray tell, do you think should be protecting our children? The administraters and teachers at our school district? Oh, sorry. They are too busy hiring their relatives and preventing change.
Maybe you are right. I need to go back to posting on other threads, where I don't need to defend myself for having a different opinion, and where intellectual discussions are easier to come by.
When your only point of argument is that Pittsburghers don't want to change, and that's all you repeat, yes, that makes it tough to actually have any kind of discussion with you. If it's your opinion, fine, but a) back it up and b) don't rely on it as your only point of discussion.
What, pray tell, danger were your children in from some cold weather? You overexaggerated now won't actually admit that you were being a drama queen about it and try to make it the teacher's/admin's fault that you thought it was too cold for your kids to be outside. Were your children not dressed properly? Do they have some sort of health condition where winter weather is a grave danger? Are your children not allowed to play outside in the cold, etc.? If so, perhaps you need to move to a warmer climate. Last week was not that cold. And as a heads up- winter hasn't even officially begun. [If the school district had a delay and or cancellation every day that was similar in temperature- well, there's be very little school going on during the winter. And then you'd be complaining that your children were being deprived of their education. It's a can't win situation for the school.]
With the amount of helicopter parenting going on in today's day and age, I'm actually happy to hear that the other parents apparently thought you were being ridiculous and didn't want to join in your protest that heaven forbid your children should breathe the winter air.
Doesn't matter that you said something blatantly false (i.e. sub-zero temperatures) - it has nothing to do with anything because Pittsburghers hate change! Oh no!
So not agreeing that Pittsburghers are not willing to change is having a chip on my shoulder? Wow, no wonder no one but the Pittsburgh cheerleaders like these threads.
I happen to care about the safety of my children and if that makes me dramatic, then so be it. Whom, pray tell, do you think should be protecting our children? The administraters and teachers at our school district? Oh, sorry. They are too busy hiring their relatives and preventing change.
Maybe you are right. I need to go back to posting on other threads, where I don't need to defend myself for having a different opinion, and where intellectual discussions are easier to come by.
You have a huge chip on your shoulder and a lot of bitterness about this that it seems entirely unreasonable to even try to engage you in an intellectual discussion on the subject. If someone disagrees with you, they are automatically part of that status quo.
Hey, that template works like a charm! Also, so-called "cheerleaders" don't necessarily like posting here. Speaking for myself, I feel like it's my duty. Otherwise, it would be quickly overrun with misinformation, not that it's not already close.
When your only point of argument is that Pittsburghers don't want to change, and that's all you repeat, yes, that makes it tough to actually have any kind of discussion with you. If it's your opinion, fine, but a) back it up and b) don't rely on it as your only point of discussion.
What, pray tell, danger were your children in from some cold weather? You overexaggerated now won't actually admit that you were being a drama queen about it and try to make it the teacher's/admin's fault that you thought it was too cold for your kids to be outside. Were your children not dressed properly? Do they have some sort of health condition where winter weather is a grave danger? Are your children not allowed to play outside in the cold, etc.? If so, perhaps you need to move to a warmer climate. Last week was not that cold. And as a heads up- winter hasn't even officially begun. [If the school district had a delay and or cancellation every day that was similar in temperature- well, there's be very little school going on during the winter. And then you'd be complaining that your children were being deprived of their education. It's a can't win situation for the school.]
With the amount of helicopter parenting going on in today's day and age, I'm actually happy to hear that the other parents apparently thought you were being ridiculous and didn't want to join in your protest that heaven forbid your children should breathe the winter air.
Doesn't matter that you said something blatantly false (i.e. sub-zero temperatures) - it has nothing to do with anything because Pittsburghers hate change! Oh no!
That monolithic bloc known as "people in Pittsburgh" refuse to even entertain the idea of parents calling their "children"'s prospective employer to put in a good word during the job search.
Seriously, though, good point about "helicopter parents". We are truly screwed when the "no competition/no trophies" bunch "grows up". Like my dearly beloved said the other day, "we're going to be the first Soylent Green Generation when these people take over".
That monolithic bloc known as "people in Pittsburgh" refuse to even entertain the idea of parents calling their "children"'s prospective employer to put in a good word during the job search.
Seriously, though, good point about "helicopter parents". We are truly screwed when the "no competition/no trophies" bunch "grows up". Like my dearly beloved said the other day, "we're going to be the first Soylent Green Generation when these people take over".
What does this have to do with "Do You Think Pittsburgh Can Avoid a BOOM"?
Hm, so I didn't answer the original question either. Can the Pittsburgh area as a whole avoid a boom? Yes. Will it? Probably. Will it be because of any specific avoidance action? No.
Also I think pockets could boom. I think some already have. Cranberry Township (just specifically that municipality, not surrounding) doubled in population since 1990. I would even cite whoever built luxury townhouses on Freedom Rd as a bust, although I don't know if that's really a real estate bust issue as much as it is a location one. Someone thought anything they built in Cranberry would be gold, without noticing that nobody moves there to live in a 300k+ townhouse when they can buy a single family for around that or less. I'm not sure if values of other houses are going down there even, but if there's anywhere in this area where that might happen, that would be among the likely candidates.
As an aside, I have to say, since it has come up, that in my experience, Pittsburgh has a significant number of "This is the way we've always done it" people. I'm not going to say a majority, as I don't think I can reasonably attest to that. But it has seemed to me and another transplant or two I know that this mentality is prevalent enough to be significant. Either that or we always, always deal with the wrong people, which doesn't seem likely. I would even say it's not necessarily off-topic in this thread. I would think that "This is the way we've always done it" will contribute to items related to booming or not booming, if not necessarily actually preventing a boom and certainly not promoting one.
Something is going on here. Everyone in my office - a small office of about 20 - between 35 years old and 55 had to begin in a different office and transfer back when a position became open; they didn't have to hire entry-level people because of the plethora of skilled people in the area looking for jobs. Now we have to hire entry-level workers because we can't find anyone with experience. And we can't even fill two of those, not even in this economy. It's much more like trying to find technical employees in Houston (neigh impossible) than it has ever been in Pittsburgh.
The thing that strikes me about Pittsburgh and the entire area is that it already has what many people throughout the country are looking for - a high degree of 'walkability.' People simply want to be able to stroll between shops, bars and restaurants in their own neighborhoods. In Texas, Chicago and DC they're building places like that in the exurbs. In Western Pennsylvania, it already exists, both in Pittsburgh and throughout the surrounding suburbs and potential exurbs.
Many folks are also tired of long commutes to work. This seems to be what is driving growth in both inner city areas and exurbs. Most suburbs are choked with traffic and have no public transportation infrastructure. People working in the city move to the city for the ease of public transportation; people working in the suburbs move to the exurbs for the ease of traffic. Of course that leaves the ring of Post WWII suburbs decaying. Kind of like Penn Hills and the area around Century III Mall.
These factors with others may be converging at the right time for this city. If it does boom, you can't avoid it or doing anything about it. Just ask the sleepy, unsuspecting town of Austin. Not many Texans saw that one coming.
These factors with others may be converging at the right time for this city. If it does boom, you can't avoid it or doing anything about it. Just ask the sleepy, unsuspecting town of Austin. Not many Texans saw that one coming.
I would agree with this, was actually thinking the same thing. If the economic forces converge on Pittsburgh, it will have a boom, whether it wants one or not. If a boom happens, Pittsburgh will have the advantage of learning from many other cities' experiences and yes, mistakes. If the civic leaders take advantage of that knowledge, a 'boom' could be handled well.
As an aside, I have to say, since it has come up, that in my experience, Pittsburgh has a significant number of "This is the way we've always done it" people. I'm not going to say a majority, as I don't think I can reasonably attest to that. But it has seemed to me and another transplant or two I know that this mentality is prevalent enough to be significant. Either that or we always, always deal with the wrong people, which doesn't seem likely. I would even say it's not necessarily off-topic in this thread. I would think that "This is the way we've always done it" will contribute to items related to booming or not booming, if not necessarily actually preventing a boom and certainly not promoting one.
My mom was herself a Pittsburgh transplant, and she used to say that.
I don't understand how transplants can't make friends in Pittsburgh.
My parents were transplants. We moved here in 1970. My parents didn't know anyone. There was no family in the area.
Yet, my parents had no problem making friends and made a very nice life here.
People weren't too busy with their friends and family to make friends with our family. Our family wasn't ignored.
As a matter of fact, we celebrated holidays with families in the area since we didn't have relatives here.
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Someone thought anything they built in Cranberry would be gold, without noticing that nobody moves there to live in a 300k+ townhouse when they can buy a single family for around that or less. I'm not sure if values of other houses are going down there even, but if there's anywhere in this area where that might happen, that would be among the likely candidates.
