Article about Pittsburgh from MLB.com

[TheGerbil]

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article...r2006&fext=.jsp

This is an absolutely glowing article about Pittsburgh and how it is preparing for the All-Star Game. I thought you all might like to read it. I can't take credit for finding it though; it was mentioned in Proud Pittsburgh's blog.

Here's a quote from the article:

The Pirates and the local officials plan to make the most of their time in the international spotlight. They hope to shed, once and for all, the city's rust-belt reputation.

[Death To Johnstown]

"The jewel of the North Shore": Changing perceptions about Pittsburgh since 2001!

[tooluther]

"We're [readying up]up for this All-Star Game," said Pittsburgh mayor Bob O'Connor.

lol, couldn't quite make the pittsburghees translation

[TheGerbil]

Haha, I notice that too, tooluther. My first thought was: Come on Bob, if you are talking to national media can you please just skip the Pittsburghese?

[Evergrey]

nah... the Pittsburghese is part of what makes us special...

[Evergrey]

"To be sure, much has changed in Pittsburgh since the city last hosted the All-Star Game in 1994. The most notable difference for baseball fans, of course, has been the replacement of the cookie-cutter, cement ashtray that was Three Rivers Stadium with the "Jewel of the North Shore" that is PNC Park. "

Interestingly however... the baseball team is still terrible after all these years.

[PghUSA]

^^Agreed I am CRYING over the Pirates failure to hire back Jim Leyland (his response was that he waited and waited for a call from the Buccos but it never came), could you imagine having a club that plays like the Tigers are.

O'Connor can speak as much Pittsburghese as he wants, it's our moment in the sun afterall!

What is up with this garbage service strike planned?

[TheGerbil]

I don't care if he speaks Pittsburghese really, but no one is going to know what "redd up" means. You'd think he would know that and just say "clean up" or "spruce up" or something. Oh well.

What's this about a garbage strike?

[PghUSA]

Here is the link about the trash workers considering a strike during ASG week

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06157/695957-53.stm

All I know is this is a chance for the regional leaders to really show true leadership the city can not afford to give in to labor like this with our budget shortfalls but at the same time a strike like this would devastate the region during the ASG.

[blueblackcat]

Here is the link about the trash workers considering a strike during ASG week

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06157/695957-53.stm

All I know is this is a chance for the regional leaders to really show true leadership the city can not afford to give in to labor like this with our budget shortfalls but at the same time a strike like this would devastate the region during the ASG.

I think that's great. It would show the injustice of all the Act-47 bs to all Americans and bring to the forefront how our rural-dominated state government is treating it's "jewel" urban areas. The state deserves to be severely embarassed for what they're doing. It's not even so much about the labor movement but about taxation without representation for all city residents. I kind of hope they strike.

[PghUSA]

Blue, that may be how it plays to the local media but the world will just tune in long enough to see Pittsburgh=garbage. If they want to embarass the state assembly I say invite the 4 majors and the cables to Hburg and bumrush the legislator with bags of garbage from Scranton, Pittsburgh and Philly.

To me it would be like protesting someone at their funeral or wedding, not the place, not the time, everyone deserves to cherish certain moments of their life away from protest and conflict. The ASG is one such event IMHO, I think you're actually right blue but the average American and average world sports fan can't or won't think deep enough to realize what is really going on in Pittsburgh.

[blueblackcat]

Blue, that may be how it plays to the local media but the world will just tune in long enough to see Pittsburgh=garbage. If they want to embarass the state assembly I say invite the 4 majors and the cables to Hburg and bumrush the legislator with bags of garbage from Scranton, Pittsburgh and Philly.

To me it would be like protesting someone at their funeral or wedding, not the place, not the time, everyone deserves to cherish certain moments of their life away from protest and conflict. The ASG is one such event IMHO, I think you're actually right blue but the average American and average world sports fan can't or won't think deep enough to realize what is really going on in Pittsburgh.

I think a lot of sports commentators tend to be former athletes and likeley to be from working-class backgrounds. I have heard sports commentators make incredibly astute political statements during a game. I don't expect it to win over the anti-union crowd, but it would get at least the half of Americans with their heads on straight to see what's going on. That said, I agree with you it would more likely backfire than succeed in it's overall effect. It would definitely be used as anti-liberal cannon fodder on every network news show and slurs against Pittsburgh would be rolling off everybody's tongue. But that's why if you were to pull this kind of publicity stunt anywhere, a sporting event is still pretty much your best hope.

This is the perfect time for the state government to cave on Act 47, perhaps? Our region might become the laughing stock of America for another few years, but what matters to the union is how it plays out locally and who everyone blames for the debacle come next election. They're probably bluffing, because it's something that couldn't possibly go over well with an already suburban-dominated state government. But man... would it be nice to see the red in their faces when someone from the national media asks them about Act-47 in relation to garbage on the streets.

[PghUSA]

Blue I agree on the sports commentators but they have lived lives with million dollar salaries for so long most of them forget what it's like to work for a living.

I think most tuning in and visiting just won't care about local politics or Act 47 or anything else. Imagine it this way if you are saving up for a year to go to Disney you really don't give a $*(@( what Orlando or Orange County or the Reddy Creek Improvement District or what home rule charter Tallahassee is debating or what the TIF financing is for the new interchange off Interstate 4 is and how that ties into the Greenway project and the airport expansion. All you want is for little sally to get to hug Minnie mouse and where the sunscreen is sold. You just don't give a crap what the local leaders, labor leaders, politicos, officials and bureaucrats do or don't do, as long as they let you have FUN.

I think anything more complicated then a good game and some nice skyline shots, a great hotel room and fine dining is a bit much to ask people willing to spend half a years salary in the Pittsburgh region the first few weeks of July. Just MHO.

[blueblackcat]

I think anything more complicated then a good game and some nice skyline shots, a great hotel room and fine dining is a bit much to ask people willing to spend half a years salary in the Pittsburgh region the first few weeks of July. Just MHO.

I'm not going to claim to have an answer for that one. It's a deeply philosophical question of where someone's civic responsibilities start and where they end. But the cynic in me guesses that it's not the garbage collectors from other cities who are coming here for the ASG, so it's none of anyone's problem to have to worry about it. I'm not any better though, I don't want to go anywhere and be bothered by squabbling people who don't have their act together.

On a side note, I've gone on a couple jogs the last few nights on Grandview, and I've got to say the new lighting on the pods looks GREAT.

[Evergrey]

I wasn't aware there was new lighting on the reconstructed pods. Here's a pic I took of one of the pods last week.

[TheGerbil]

This garbage strike... I think I am of the opinion that ASG week is a bad time for it. Sure, from the union's perspective it is perfect, but I think it would embarass the entire city and region on national tv. It *might* make the stat gov't sit up and take notice but frankly I doubt it.

The ASG is an opportunity to make a big stride in fixing our image problem. I don't want to see that ruined. There are other ways to make the state realize it's errors. Ways that wouldn't make us into fodder for Jay Leno. I seriously tink a garbage strike during the ASG would set us back several years in terms of image.

I think the union is actually being very selfish to even consider striking that week. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they get things resolved in time to avert a strike, and that the rumors of a strike don't leak out to the national media.

[blueblackcat]

I think the union is actually being very selfish to even consider striking that week. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they get things resolved in time to avert a strike, and that the rumors of a strike don't leak out to the national media.

They're probably bluffing, or at least they're confident that this will get resolved. But I wouldn't say it's selfish on their part. They have the legal right to do it. They have been working without a contract for 29 months, meaning 2 and a half years without a raise, and now the state ACT-47 team thinks it's a splendid idea to freeze their wages for 2 more years without the need to negotiate a contract that the union is legally entitled to. Remember folks, this is all in the name of not raising taxes for the 150,000 suburbanites who commute into the city every day and make free use of our services that we pay for with our wages. It matters more to save a few pennies for commuters whose idea of being frugal is to buy an H3 instead of an H2. In other words, they are being told that what they do is not important enough. It doesn't matter. Nobody really needs them, and if they just stopped picking up the trash one day then no one would notice. It matters more to raise wages for everyone in the state legislature and the ACT-47 team (which is a waste of good taxpayer dollars right there) time after time, which far eclipse the total cost of giving 150 trash collectors a small raise once every few years. You fire two or three people off the ACT-47 team and there's enough for a raise for the entire union right there. Don't some things matter a little more than a reputation, especially if that reputation might end up being as fake and worthless as every other hyped-up metro in America?

[PghUSA]

^^I would hate to have them strike during the ASG, but by the same token Blue you make some good points, the wealth of the region should be shared among all those that work hard, it's no good for the city to bask in the spotlight when some of its citizens are suffering to sacrafice for that opportunity. I think though that the union needs to realize that any strike during the ASG would massively backfire in their PR. It would be better if the union leadership said that for the good of the region they will not strike till after the ASG, they would gain much respect from small business owners and workers that have put their heart and soul into preparing Pittsburgh for the event.

[TheGerbil]

I agree with all of that. I just think they can get it done without embarassing the city on national tv. A garbage strike sucks any time. People would notice it. So it seems a little selfish to want to do it when the whole city would be embarassed by it.

[blueblackcat]

I agree with all of that. I just think they can get it done without embarassing the city on national tv. A garbage strike sucks any time. People would notice it. So it seems a little selfish to want to do it when the whole city would be embarassed by it.

I honestly think that if they went on strike during the ASG the city and state would cave after 3 minutes of having their feet to the fire. Their other option is to lose 3 weeks of wages during a regular strike and actually cause more garbage to get piled up. If that's what it comes down to, then they should do what's best for them. If the everyone really thinks that they'll continue to obligingly make sacrifices while other businesses make millions in profits, well then they're just no use to themselves are they.

[PghUSA]

Blue, your right, it is totally unfair for one segment of workers to suffer so the region can make a gain but if they pull this the city will never forgive them. I am not for giving the proverbial shaft to any segment of worker but you have hundreds if not thousands of regional businesses and organizations depending on the ASG after investing much of their time, effort, sweat and tears for the event. The most prudent thing to do is to have the protest in Hburg or after the event, it won't matter how they protest if everyone hates their guts for it afterwards.

[chucka]

I really do not like the new All-Star game banner on the Renaissance Hotel. This hotel is one of the best pieces of architecture seen from the ball park. Does a banner really need to cover this building up? I wonder what visitors think who have rooms behind it.

[Evergrey]

I was at the Pirates game today (section 315) watching the most pathetic team in baseball... and saw that ridiculous banner covering up the beautiful Renaissance Hotel... Hopefully they remove that in time for the festivities.

by the way... here's an article on how the Pirates are probably abusing the MLB's revenue sharing program. This is a pathetic organization and we will never see a competative team under current leadership. Sure, they pulled some major coups with the best stadium in the world and yet another all-star game for Pittsburgh... but they have not capitalized. After this year's surge in season ticket sales due to the All-Star Game... they should prepare for a catastrophic crash next year. What reason will fans have to come out for next year? The latest in a long line of over-priced Derek Bell / Jeromy Burnitz / Matt Lawton incarnations?

I think PNC Park has almost been a curse... as it has resulted in record attendence for the Pirates (and filled the ownership's coffers)... they have not needed to put a competative team on the field. Despite the spectacular stadium... this novelty will wear off and the team with be in dire straights again.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburgh...s/s_458555.html

[TheGerbil]

I think we should all email the staff at the Renaissance Hotel and tell them we think the banner is covering that gorgeous building. Maybe they'd actually consider taking it down, but they won't do that if they don't know.

[PghUSA]

^^technically it isn't covering anything, I do like it though, since it has everything to do with the ASG and not some cheesy ad but thats me.

In retrospect that point facing side of the new condo tower could use a mural or even an ASG sign. Looks like the architect intended for that to be the butt of the building or something.

Then again I have only an amateurs view of architecture