Comments on: Dreary Ex-Steel Town Less Crappy Than You Thought

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:13:44 +0000

Your love of the “burgh” is due to the rush of being in a new place. Have no fear this too will pass. I was born and raised here, but left after college. After 20 years living in Boston, Dallas, and San Francisco, I returned home. At first, like you, I loved being back. But then over time I remembered all the reasons I left in the first place, and now I am on my way back to Boston. Pittsburgh is an isolated island that is stuck in the past. Living off the past nostalgia of the “steel age.” There is a real brain drain in this city. Of my peers in High School, the best left town and never came back and the worst of the lot remained. One issue that really bites is the notion that Pittsburgh’s cost of living is so low that Pittsburgh employers will generally pay far less than employers in other cities. But, the only thing that is actually cheaper in Pittsburgh is housing. But this is the trap, you have a lower salary and buy a cheaper house relative to say someone in Boston. Thirty years later you have a cheaper house that no one wants to buy because people are leaving Pittsburgh, but in Boston you own a house that has a much higher value and you can actually sell it because people are moving to Boston. Finally, Pittsburgh is an island. The only topic of conversation in this place is Pittsburgh. Most of the Yinzers rarely, if ever, leave Western PA. They think the world of this city because they do not know any thing else and they keep telling themselves how wonderful Pittsburgh is that they have entered into some kind of group hypnosis or group delusion. And when an outsider like Sienna Miller speaks the truth about this place, the Mayor has to go her and demand an apology. If Sienna Miller said that San Francisco, New York, or Boston sucked it would have been merely ignored. I hope you enjoy your stay, and that your love of the city remains. But for me, I’m not looking back when I leave this time.

By: Amos the Poker Cat

Amos the Poker Cat — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:55:28 +0000

Ya, there are jobs here, they just pay less than the rest of the country.

Seriously, check out Harold Miller’s blog. He also has frequent editorials in the PG. He has a pretty hard nose balanced view. Most of the other Pittsburgh bloggers tend to be over the top Homers.

Ya, we are less crappy than you (outsiders, i.e. non Yinzers) thought, but we are no where near as good as we keep telling ourselves.

By: Mark Denovich

Mark Denovich — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:25:37 +0000

I’d disagree a bit on the steel (and related) industry: US Steel is putting a billion dollars into the Clarion coke works with the option to sink another billion into it. Coal is huge again, and Westinghouse is going to be very busy with the resurgence of nuke power.

But otherwise I share your enthusiasm about Pittsburgh. After 2 years living/working abroad and lots of travel, I’ve really come to appreciate what the ‘Burgh has to offer. Big enough to have what you want, small enough to escape, good mix of urban and rural activities to pursue, comparatively cheap cost of living, and it’s not the south or mid-west. I won’t be disappointed to return.

By: Jason Whitmen

Jason Whitmen — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:59:15 +0000

I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!