(no subject)

[Wil Welsh]

> > As far as safety goes, if you are within city limits (or anywhere near a busline) there's never a guarantee on >whether you won't get mugged, beat up, pestered or shot. Sure, there are neighborhoods to avoid at all costs 
> >(Wilkensburg, Homewood, Polish Hill) and there are some that probably won't cause you many problems 
> >(South Side, Squirrel Hill, The Waterfront).
> 
> I was mugged in Squirrel Hill. There goes your theory. 


Mick, I hate to tell you this but your contention that this city is not
safe plays off a bit like a tired end times prophesizing televangelist's
claims that we're all doomed by using some isolated incidents and
playing to people's emotions to back up your claims.  When you check out
the facts, you may be a bit relieved.  Cnn.com reports Pittsburgh as the
15th safest city in America.  Much better than the two cities you
mentioned before as being more desirable (Chicago is five spots down on
the list of safest cities, while Baltimore is the 8th most Dangerous
city in America with a crime rate of nearly 2 times that of Pittsburgh). 
You are never 100% safe in a city, unless you're in some city with an
overbearing police force (think Singapore); but Pittsburgh is pretty
safe as far as the numbers and demographics of the violence is concerned. 
You are entitled to your opinion, however entitlement and validity are
both to be considered and I don't think you have much of that backing
your opinion up.  Sure people may have  a sense that their city isn't
the greatest to live in, but it isn't so horrible that you should throw
a conniption whenever somebody says that they enjoy their time here and
try to figure out what's wrong with them / where they came from.  

Though you were right that I came from a smaller city around here, who
didn't? A majority of the population of Pittsburgh has come from the
surrounding suburbs and satellite cities. That's like saying "i bet this
fish came from fresh water." No city can have a pool of talent only via
subsistence employment.  And as true as that assumption about me was, I
am not all doe eyed over the experience.  Pittsburgh is basically what a
city should be.  It provides work, transportation, dining and
entertainment infrastructure in a concentrated area for a high price. 
Any expectations or demands other than that are of your own delusion.
Human society is structured around a 9-5 work day right now, and to find
locations up & jumping at 2 in the morning is an outlier, not something
to be expected.  I work 4-midnight, so I empathise with your desire to
have things jumping at that time, however that isnt' how life and
business works.  If you value culture and entertainment, perhaps you
should change your sleep schedule to get with the rest of people when
they're actually awake and providing such things.  I moved out to the
country after some time in the burgh.  I'd much rather live here and
drive an hour to work every day than to live in any city anywhere.  I
value the ability to build fires and shoot things that annoy me around
my house.  I value the clean air that doesn't poison my lungs as I sleep. 
I value the water that actually tastes good from the faucet and doesn't
contain so many chemicals that my skin itches for an hour after i take a
shower.  I value the ability to actually grow some of my own food off of
the land if i want to.  Although I must say squirrel hill was pleasant
for me to to live and play in, I really don't see what living in any
city is really worth, especially when I can drive to it if i really want
something out of it.

-- 
Wil Welsh <vort3xxx at earthlink.net>