Is it just me, or does Roanoke have some Pittsburgh similarities? (Norfolk: homes, schools)

[Tiger Beer]

Is it just me, or does Roanoke have some Pittsburgh similarities?

Both are in the Appalachians; both have a lot of similar housing styles - the brick homes, the box brick homes in particular. The landscape and such as well...

Does other people think so, as well? Of course, Pittsburgh is much larger, and everything that comes with being much larger. But does Roanoke seem a bit like 'cousin' at least?

What's your take?

[Gardner222]

I have heard about the similarity in that Roanoke was once dominated by the Norfolk & Western Rwy. During WW2 the railroad
was a vital link in the war effort and the number of people working for the railroad was over 15,000. At that time coal was
popular and i can imagine the huge industrial complex image. I think of Pittsburghs past with coal and steel. I think the images
of both cities have dramatically changed. Today, these industries are in China providing living wages to the Chinese while
here at home in Roanoke people scramble for temporary work while the railroad eliminates good jobs to satisfy their stockholders and stuff the CEOs pockets with the wages they eliminate. I am sure Pittsburgh sees similar issues as Roanoke.
Roanokes economy today is that of a land locked valley which has no land for expansion. As with Pittsburgh, Roanoke has
great educational institutions which are being poised for the 21st century economy for technology, healthcare industries.
While Roanoke is in the South, the economy here is similar to Rust Belt cities in that we are a slow growth area, which is
a rarity in Va and NC is only an hour away. I understand Pittsburgh is doing better economically and i hope the Roanoke
Valley can also follow its lead with all of the job losses here!

[NJBoy3]

Great more higher education.. The liberal answer to our failed economic system.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Gardner222

I have heard about the similarity in that Roanoke was once dominated by the Norfolk & Western Rwy. During WW2 the railroad
was a vital link in the war effort and the number of people working for the railroad was over 15,000. At that time coal was
popular and i can imagine the huge industrial complex image. I think of Pittsburghs past with coal and steel. I think the images
of both cities have dramatically changed. Today, these industries are in China providing living wages to the Chinese while
here at home in Roanoke people scramble for temporary work while the railroad eliminates good jobs to satisfy their stockholders and stuff the CEOs pockets with the wages they eliminate. I am sure Pittsburgh sees similar issues as Roanoke.
Roanokes economy today is that of a land locked valley which has no land for expansion. As with Pittsburgh, Roanoke has
great educational institutions which are being poised for the 21st century economy for technology, healthcare industries.
While Roanoke is in the South, the economy here is similar to Rust Belt cities in that we are a slow growth area, which is
a rarity in Va and NC is only an hour away. I understand Pittsburgh is doing better economically and i hope the Roanoke
Valley can also follow its lead with all of the job losses here!

Thanks for the thorough response...interesting seeing the similarities.

[Gardner222]

Originally Posted by NJBoy3

Great more higher education.. The liberal answer to our failed economic system.

Here in SW Va we have one of the countrys(if not the worlds) finest engineering schools at Va Tech. Most or a huge percentage
of the top students are from emerging economies in Asia, India, etc. They receive their education here and take their degrees
to help build their new economies, while us dumb Americans help pay the tab. Why cant these new economies help us for a
change? We need jobs here which pay a living wage building roads, building bridges, etc. The U.S. is in SERIOUS trouble
with no help from our trade "partners".

[NJBoy3]

Thanks Gardner, we are on the same page.

Reading this morning about Mexico and all the car companies building billion dollar factories down there. And hiring hundreds of engineers. And the engineers actually learning Japanese. And when they build these cars they all come up here.. Darned if I know who is going to pay for them in 10 years..

We need some good old fashioned protectionism in this country. Don't like to say it but it's true. Other countries do it. Yes stuff will cost more but we will all have jobs.

[Gardner222]

The global trade mess is bad news for U.S. workers.The middle class worker is disapearing here in favor of low wage labor.
The big auto makers even get tax breaks for locating outside of U.S. !!
When our sec of state John Kerry is not riding his bicycle he is writing blank checks offering "foreign aid" in the billions, even
to our enemies no less, for what?
Where are the jobs from countries like China we thought were coming here?
China is too busy devaluing their currency to undermine the dollar,and to destroy our currency and our economy.
i think our biggest enemy is China.
Mexico is being prepped for more U.S. investment it seems, so less illegals will come here?

[NJBoy3]

Heck Yes! - We need people like you running his country!!

[Rickcin]

What we need in this country is a president who has no political background! There is way too much "Cronyism" going on with the politicians who have their own agenda who just barely keep things afloat until the day the middle class can no longer bear the brunt or until another generation conflict arises, or world war, which history has shown is inevitable.

[Gardner222]

I predict when our economy does fail like it did during the Depression, the people will demand a government that works.
Millenials and Gen X folks must Protest what is going on now which will determine their future.At non living wages will you
have social security, Medicare in your old age? Not with this economy where the greedy rich are running the show now. America
can only work with a strong middle class or we face a socialist type system like most industrialised countries. Its not an option
to keep 50 million Americans in poverty while one percent enjoy super wealth.We are starting to see social unrest now like the 1960s. We didnt have devious countries like China stealing our military personal info while we do nothing. Money rules, not
people.