World leaders to hold economic summit(G20) in Pittsburgh(Sept)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh will host the world's major economic powers at a G20 Summit in September.

The White House made the announcement at a press briefing in Washington, D.C. this afternoon. The summit will be held on Sept. 24 and 25.

Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs said the U.S. agreed to host the next summit during the London meeting earlier in the spring. Pittsburgh is "a good place" to hold the summit because of its recovery from the decline of the steel industry in the 1980s, he said.

At the Pittsburgh Summit, President Barack Obama will meet with leaders representing 85 percent of the world's economy to take stock of progress made since the most recent summits and discuss further actions to assure a sound and sustainable recovery from the global economic and financial crisis, officials said.




Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09148/973412-82.stm

---

As a Pittsburgher I had 2 reactions hearing this.

YES! What an honor President Obama.

2nd reaction - President Obama why do you hate Pittsburgh? (just thinking of the protestors who do property damage)

I hope all goes well for my city and both protestors & police behave!

The local RW talk radio KDKA are already naysaying this big time.

[Orrex]

1. The should hold the Summit at Primanti's

[SteppingRazor]

2. Truly, a recipe for world peace.

Also heart attacks.

[awoke_in_2003]

6. I think Primanti's

is the reason they are considering this

[distantearlywarning]

24. I was thinking maybe Pamela's

Have you seen this article?

http://postgazette.com/pg/09146/972657-34.stm

[tomreedtoon]

3. There'll be LOTS of city to burn there.

No one lives in buildings in Pittsburgh anymore. They were all evicted and moved to cardboard boxes and lean-to's. So torching thirty or forty deserted buildings around the meeting site should be a snap. Give the G20 leaders a taste of what their rich-buddy economics has wrought.

[distantearlywarning]

4. I hope you are just joking.

Most of 2.5 million of us 'burghers live in some very cool pre-war housing stock and enjoy our getting-greener-by-the-day city. This isn't your grandparents' rust belt anymore.

[tomreedtoon]

5. No, my grandparents and parents are all dead.

And so is the hope of real business and industry there. I don't even think of Pittsburgh as being part of the Rust Belt. It's part of the Ash Belt. There's nothing there any more. Makes Hiroshima and Nagasaki, post-bomb, look like a vacation spot.

And the unemployment there makes Michael Moore's sad, abused Detroit look like Walt Disney World.

No, I don't think protesters will burn down any buildings for the G20. There probably isn't anything left to burn. And there aren't any Buddhists there who would be willing to accept the Real Death and incinerate themselves in protest. So I guess the only thing burning at the G20 will be the remnants of the American economy.

Maybe they can import some beef from Argentina and grill some steaks for the good ol' boys there; I hear we don't make cattle in America any more, either.

[RamboLiberal]

7. Look we have some economically depressed areas

Mon-Valley there are several towns that fit your description, but Pittsburgh has done a good job of coming out of the rust belt. We have a good base of employment in universities & colleges, health care, some smaller industrial, etc.

It's a beautiful city, quit the trashing. We've done better than a lot of rust belt cities by a long run.

[chill_wind]

14. Lifehacker had a great discussion about Pittsburgh by Pittsburghers

a couple days ago. 10 Best U.S. Cities to Live and Work


http://lifehacker.com/5270632/the-10-best-us-cities-to-...

It didn't make the list,but a lot of great feedback that it should have (see the comments section about Pittsburgh)

I'm a born and raised Western Pa transplant (now in Ohio)- lived about 50 miles up river but went to school and worked in Pittsburgh and "grew up" there as a young woman out on my own for the first years of my adult life. I'll always have a soft sweet spot for Pittsburgh, and it's only gotten better over the decades.

[distantearlywarning]

23. Flagstaff, Arizona???

That's my home town. I admit I had a great time growing up there and it's beautiful, but it's impossible to find a job there that will pay for the cost of living in a tourist ski town. Top ten if you like sharing a studio apartment with 5 people while you work 40 hours a week as a waitress.

[Orrex]

8. If you had any idea what you're talking about, that zany rant might constitute fighting words!

Sorry about your parents and grandparents.

[distantearlywarning]

10. Most asinine statement I've seen on DU in months.

You have literally no idea what you are talking about. It sounds like you haven't been here in 20 years but still think you know enough to run off at the mouth. For one thing, we have one of the most stable housing markets and one of the best unemployment rates in the nation right now.

Here's a small taste of what "worse than Hiroshima & Nagasaki, post-bomb vacation destinations" looks like today. Educate yourself.

[chill_wind]

15. You're making this Ohioan homesick ..

The city. The hills!

[distantearlywarning]

46. Ohio isn't that far from the 'burgh

You could always come back and see us in a while!

[tomreedtoon]

19. Nice Chamber of Commerce photos, sport.

How about some real photos of the empty strip malls, the homeless in the park and the closed businesses and factories? That's reality. What your photos show is a spread from Architecture Monthly.

[distantearlywarning]

22. Some of those pics are from downtown

Where the G-20 people will be. And it looked just like that the last time I came across the Fort Pitt bridge at twilight. One of the most beautiful views in America.

One of them (the green leafy street pic) is from my neighborhood, right around the corner from my house. And it looks just like that right now.

One of them is of the Cathedral of Learning, and it looked just like that when I rode by on the bus a week ago. They cleaned the leftover soot off it a few years ago, with some of that money they supposedly don't have for public works, and it still looks great because our skies are clear now.

I didn't cherry pick any of those pics. That's just what it looks like now. People are renovating and improving. Remember all the projects in East Liberty? They're being torn down now and replaced with little cafes and artists' studios. We even have a strip mall that used to be defunct but is now thriving again, with a Trader Joe's and some other stuff. There is a closed factory down by the Waterfront, but they preserved the old smoke stacks as an art installation when they built a movie theatre, a comedy club, and restaurants.

You should visit sometime. It's nice here these days. You could sit by one of the (much cleaner) rivers and have a drink or two. Unwind a little. Lose some of the bitterness and get less wild around the eyes.

[SteelPenguin]

26. If I could find an empty strip mall I'd share a pic

I couldn't tell you where one is though. Same with homeless in the park. We go to a variety of city parks regularly, but I can't remember seeing any homeless there. Just friendly happy people enjoying the parks.

Just last week they did a building demolotion on one of the old projects in East Liberty. They're building a new mall and target there.

You're sorely misinformed on the city. Why don't YOU provide some photos of what you're talking about, because I live IN the city and I don't see what you're talking about. Some old abandoned mill town down on the Mon? Yeah a few of those have hit some hard times and are now vacant. That happens when you lose 2/3rds of your population in a generation. Most of the city though is renovationg or already renewed. I used to drive past two old abandoned factories on a daily basis on the Allegheny. One has been torn down and is being redeveloped, the other was refurbished.

Not to mention the old abandoned factory on Penn street up from East Liberty, that's gonna be a hot spot they're almost done developing that.

When was the last time you were even IN Pittsburgh?

[tomreedtoon]

34. Never went to Pittsburgh. There's nothing there.

I will, however, post some sample pictures of Orlando in a few days. "For Lease," "For Sale," deserted dealerships, all the stuff you don't want to admit is happening in your town.

[distantearlywarning]

36. Now the truth comes out.

LOL!

[tomreedtoon]

38. I never went to Hell either, and I have no desire to visit.

I'm simply pointing out that all of America is suffering, our jobs are going, our economy is dying, and these freaking rich bastards get to play in a phony urban wonderland. Your town. They should have held the conference at Ground Zero in New York, or the abandoned GM plant in Flint, or some other place that is a true picture of our world.

[SteelPenguin]

41. Oh give me a break

If you want to point out that America is suffering go ahead, but when you do it by slandering one of the few cities in the country that actually isn't doing too bad right now, you look like a complete tool.

Not to mention that you admittedly have never been to Pittsburgh, never will go to Pittsburgh, and have zero idea about what Pittsburgh is like or how it's doing in any way shape or form.

But hey it's the internets. Everyone has an opinion about everything I guess. Even the morons.

[distantearlywarning]

43. I think the poster might have a few problems.

This is one of the weirder flame wars I've been involved in during my stay at DU. I don't think it's us.

[SteelPenguin]

45. lol

yeah i think someone started drinking early today...

Can't say that's a bad idea...5pm...time to crack open a cold beer...



Here's to Pittsburgh!

[distantearlywarning]

47. *grin*

[muriel_volestrangler]

48. I worked in Pittsburgh for a couple of years

The company's biggest hiring problem was that Americans who had never been there were unwilling to move to it. People who had grown up there, or had been there as students, however, were quite happy to come back. They liked the place. And non-Americans were happy to go there as well. But the fixed ideas of Americans from other parts of the country, who'd never been there, couldn't be overcome.

[SteelPenguin]

40. Oh please

So you know absolutely NOTHING about this city, but want to fling stuff about it on the interwebs.

If you knew anything, or did a smidge of research or had the balls to do it now and admit you were wrong, you'd see that Pittsburgh is weathering the recession better than most other cities. We've even had minor job growth during some months where other areas were getting smashed.

Yes the Pittsburgh economy took a hit 30 years ago with Steel collapsing, but it pulled itself back up an specialized small manufacturing, biotech, robotics, and green technology and medical research are huge here now, and most of those are fairly recession proof, and you see it in the city. Our unemployment is one of the lowest in the nation 1/3rd less than the national average.

Our home prices never got hit by the bubble, so they never had to crash, and hence the home prices around here have gone up steadily even this past year.

I can't take pictures of that stuff here because I don't see it in the city here. Oh i'm sure I can find a for sale or for lease sign, but not in any more abundance than normal.

I'm sorry that you can't admit you were wrong, and that you're ignorant enough to spout off on something you even admit you have zero knowledge of.

Give me a break dude.

[Joe Bacon]

20. Those pictures do make me homesick

I left for Los Angeles in 1982 when the steel industry collapsed. I still get homesick for Pittsburgh, still remember the good times when I was going to Pitt, eating fries and hotdogs at the Original, big winks, Isaly's chocolate marshmallow ice cream, AND chipped ham, then there are the pierogis (which only Trader Joe's has a fair version of), and Primanti Brothers sandwiches. Once I was talking to the folks at Canter's deli about Primanti Brothers sandwiches, and they got a big chuckle about cole slaw AND fries on a sandwich.

And I still have memories of Chilly Billy, Paul Shannon, Bill Burns, Paul Long and Ray Tannehill. I can remember listening to KDKA as a kid laughing myself sick over Rege Cordic. Several years ago, I went on KDKA radio's webpage, thinking that Art Pallan may still be broadcasting, what sadness to hear nothing but right wing hate on that station. Years ago, I still remember when Mike Levine and later Roy Fox at least balanced rightwingers like John Cigna. So sad.

[blue neen]

16. Unemployment rate for Allegheny County (Pittsburgh)=6.8%

http://www.bls.gov/ro3/urpitt.htm

The national average was 9%. Could you please share with us where you found YOUR numbers? You have posted an out and out lie.

I'll assume you have had a pretty disappointing life, because you certainly are bitter.

[tomreedtoon]

18. You ain't even TOUCHED bitter, Buttercup.

The bitterness really starts when you realize that the people asking for "change" are really just begging their lords and masters for it. If they had been here in 1776, we'd still be a British colony. They don't want to FORCE the powerful to give them the rights and benefits they say they are due. They just think they'll be given those rights because the overlords are all so kind.

Phooey.

[distantearlywarning]

21. Um, ok.

Have you considered getting some counselling? I'm serious.

[tomreedtoon]

33. So you think righeous pissed-off anger is a "problem"?

You chose the wrong place to exercise political correctness. Our nation is in trouble, Obama is getting this treatment from people who used to be his supporters...



...the economy is crashing, people are dying, and you're worried about manners?

No wonder the Republicans will win the midterms. You have no desire to fight.

[distantearlywarning]

35. Yeah, ok. So what were we talking about again?

[SteelPenguin]

27. I should never have responded to you on the other posts

Seek help.

[dugaresa]

31. Clearly you have not been to the city of Pittsburgh in a long long time

it is a very nice city.

Yes, not many people live in the downtown area, but then they never really have. It isn't a city like Chicago or NY that is alive 24 hours of the day. The theatre district is very nice, the SouthSide is really booming and there are folks renovating the old row houses and there are tons of great restaurants, etc.

I live only 15 miles away and I love to go to the city to shop, eat and visit the attractions. Museums, art galleries..etc

Been here all my life and even lived through the downturn in the 70's and 80's.

There are depressed areas around, but there have always been and many of those areas have seen rebirth like Homestead for instance.

[Pat Riot]

49. You do not know what the fuck you are talking about

Signed, an employed Buddhist who lives and works in the city.

[Baclava]

50. Bitter Seahawks fan? Are they still out there?

[blue neen]

51. Great response!

I'd love to get a copy of that picture.

[SteelPenguin]

25. That's interesting

See when I look out the window at my city neighborhood I don't see a single abandoned house. I don't even see the for sale signs that were up earlier in the spring as the houses, but one, have all sold (and that guy was asking way too much money). Heck my property has gone up 25% in value in the past 4 years, all our streets were repaved, and we're planting even MORE trees.

I must be totally delusional.

[distantearlywarning]

29. I wonder if you and I live in the same neighborhood.

My house also went up in value about that much too in the last two years. It was really amazing. I was hoping for a 3% yearly or so, so this has been really stellar.

Also, all the stuff you're talking about in your other posts makes me think we live really close to one another (that old factory they're renovating in E. Liberty is about a 5 minute walk from my house).

[SteelPenguin]

30. it's more than 5 from mine ;)

I can see the buildings of East Liberty from my second floor windows over the houses on the other side of the street though.

I think lots of city neighborhoods particularly in the East End really have been doing well the past few years as the universities attract more people, more grad students, and more high tech jobs for them to stick around after college and buy homes in the city. I know my neighborhood (without giving anything away...I want you to guess) used to be half Germans in part of the neighborhood and half Italians in the other half, but now they're all dying out and being replaced by younger hipper families into all the Hulton and Hulton style homes in the neighborhood.

Yeah there are places like Braddock, but even those in their own way are even pulling themselves up now...The city itself, even the formerly so called 'bad neighborhoods' are coming up. The ugly projects coming down, and the new townhouse designed style ones going up (like on Penn and Negley) which give people much more pride in themselves and in their homes. Heck they look pretty nice too.

There's no question that Pittsburgh is holding out really well through this recession, and is going good directions. we just need to keep the pressure on local government to keep it up rather than slip into more corruption and graft.

[distantearlywarning]

37. I'm guessing...

Bloomfield?

[SteelPenguin]

39. Nope

other side of the hill. Morningside.

[distantearlywarning]

42. That's a nice 'hood.

We almost bought there, but found the "perfect home" in Point Breeze instead.

[SteelPenguin]

44. yeah looked in that area

didn't see anything there we liked, and we liked the quietness of Morningside, and how it's sort of out of the way somehow even though it's smack in the middle of the city.

[Joanne98]

9. The G20 vampires are coming to the US? Wow that's brave!

Get ready for the protest of the century!

[Wednesdays]

11. K&R

[RamboLiberal]

12. I didn't know Pittsburgh also hosts Netroots Nation in August

http://netrootsnation.org /

[Zorra]

13. Subcomandante Marcos wrote this in the mid 90's:

The global power of the financial centers is so great, that they can afford not to worry about the political tendency of those who hold power in a nation, if the economic program (in other words, the role that nation has in the global economic megaprogram) remains unaltered. The financial disciplines impose themselves upon the different colors of the world political spectrum in regards to the government of any nation. The great world powers can tolerate a leftist government in any part of the world, as long as the government does not take measures that go against the needs of the world financial centers. But in no way will it tolerate that an alternative economic, political and social organization consolidate. For the megapolitics, the national politics are dwarfed and submit to the dictates of the financial centers....

http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/mexico/ezln/1997/jigsa...

I want my democracy back.

Just say no to the WTO.

[blue neen]

17. I am so happy and proud for our city.

It truly is a beautiful and vibrant place. I'm looking forward to September.

In your face, KDKA. Your radio station just gets more hateful by the day.

[SteelPenguin]

28. Exciting

I always like when interesting things like this happen places that I live. I'd prefer a World Cup match at Heinz Field, but a G20 protest would be interesting.

They also picked a nice time of year to come. Things are still nice and green, but it's not as hot and humid anymore.

Let's show the world how to host a G20 summit. Tailgating and fireworks anyone?

[dugaresa]

32. This is great news for the city of Pittsburgh - it has been reborn in the past 20 years

and we deserve attention.