Pittsburgh ZIP code pride

Delaying sleep by bumming around the Internet (as I am prone to do), I found this gem on Wikipedia’s page on ZIP codes:

“Acceptable place names” also come into play in areas of the country where many citizens identify more strongly with a particular urban center than the municipality they actually live in. For example, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania has 130 distinct municipalities, but many of the county’s residents, and even some residents of adjacent counties, commonly use “Pittsburgh, PA” as their postal address.

ZIP codes seem sort of confusing, as it’s both more and less geographical than I’d previously figured. On a large scale, it appears (and is) rigidly ordered and planned, but it alls break down when you get down to certain towns and places.

Did anyone realize before that ZIP codes basically increase from Maine to Alaska in a zig-zagging up-and-down, east to west pattern? Not this guy.

I’d heard somewhere once that it didn’t matter what you write as the city name on a piece of mail as long as the ZIP was correct; which apparently isn’t entirely true. Seems that the Postal Service has a list of “acceptable names” somewhere, which is why I could list my previous address as Moon Township, when it was technically Coraopolis. Seems Pittsburghers are prone to do so, which makes me proud of my city once again, and makes me wish I had and could still list my address as Pittsburgh, PA.

For some reason, though, I doubt that’s on the “acceptable” list in Azusa, CA.

Filed under: Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh, ZIP codes

Pittsburgh International Airport

An interesting read about the current state of Pittsburgh’s once-buzzing airport, and how there’s not a lot of hope for it in the future.

“It was pretty clear Philadelphia was a better place to grow, to be blunt,” said another former US Airways executive involved in the initial planning.

This executive, who requested anonymity because he still works in the industry, recalled ex-Pittsburgh airport executive director Kent George asking what the airport could do to get some US Airways flights back. His response was: ” ‘Get everyone who lives in Detroit to move to Pittsburgh.’ The problem isn’t that they don’t have a good airport or not have enough gates or costs are too high. It is that US Airways built the operation there larger than what the city could support.”

Everyone knows I’m a Pittsburgh-phile, so it’s sad when you realize that, yeah, our city doesn’t have a lot of people and probably isn’t big enough to be a big deal in the East Coast aviation world.

But I still remember, often, that it made me proud as a kid to know that Pittsburgh was a “hub,” and I loved that our airport was considered one of the best in, at least, the nation. My dad traveled a decent amount before he retired, and I always wanted to know about the airports he flew in and out of and how they compared to our own. I’ve written about this before, but the Pittsburgh airport feels like an important part of my younger years, as weird as that might sound. I remember taking trips with my dad and family and the excitement of the airport–the connectedness to the world and the people and the bigness of it all. (It probably has a lot to do with my grown-up love to travel and to see the world. Yeah, I wanted to be a pilot as a kid, but I’m just as content being a traveler in real life.)

And for me, traveling begins and ends with the Pittsburgh International Airport. I can sketch the outline of the terminals with my eyes closed. I can tell you where all the great SkyMall stuff used to be (you should know by now my favorite pre-9/11 date was to PIT) and while lots of that is gone, we still have the T-Rex, George and Franco, the scrolling news thing, and the people mover. The dark reds and grays still say welcome home to Pittsburgh, and the unmistakable pride in everything from our sports teams to our condiments to our many renaissances and current high-tech industries tell me all I need to know about the city I call home–and you see it all before even make it to baggage claim.

Just one of the many things I love and miss about home.

Filed under: Pittsburgh , air travel, Pittsburgh, pittsburgh international airport

Pittsburgh & Kovacevik

Some of you might know that I’m an avid reader and fan of Pirates P-G beat writer Dejan Kovacevik. I read everything he puts out, and I often take for granted the outstanding insight he provides into my favorite baseball team and (and I think this is where most of you should take interest) my favorite city. Dejan speaks of Pittsburgh the way I hope I speak of Pittsburgh, with the realization that Pittsburgh is a flawed yet unique and beautiful place to live that Pittsburghers should be proud to call home.

Part of my nightly routine before I go off to bed is to read the P-G’s Pirates coverage (mostly written by DK) that’s published every night at midnight. (Fun fact: In China, it was my pre-lunch routine at noon.) I just finished his weeknightly Q+A (which is only found on the Internet) and wanted to point you all to it, because Dejan has a lot to say about cities and Pittsburgh and perspective this evening, all of which I found very interesting. He continyes tonight with a series of “Things That Make Pittsburgh Great” that he includes each weeknight when the Pirates are on the road (which sounds terribly confusing, I’m sure, to a non-baseball fan) and tonight the Bucs won in Denver.

Thing No. 53 that makes Pittsburgh great: We are a terribly insecure people.

We always want to know what everyone thinks of, and we always are surprised when they like us, they really like us.

A history buff might suggest that has to do with our polluted industrial past. After all, who could brag about a place that was immersed in darkness in mid-afternoon?

Someone else might say that the mass exodus of jobs in the late 1970s and early 1980s, one of the greatest in American history, contributed. After all, how happy could anyone be with a place that was being virtually abandoned?

Whatever it is, it most surely applies.

Eve Picker, a loft developer in the Downtown and Strip areas, hails from New Zealand. Way before it became cool — or profitable — she was buying up vacant buildings and converting them into residential properties. And, as I recall from the one conversation I ever had with her, she was doing so with a sense of bemusement that so few people here seemed to appreciate what he had or, potentially, could have. As she put it, it took an outsider to come in and show us. There is a lot of that going on.

The Uruguayan guy who designed the convention center was inspired by the flow of the Three Sisters bridges, a view he glimpsed from driving atop the Fort Duquesne Bridge. Might someone here have noticed that?

The travel writers around the country who come here and glow about the place point out things in a way some of us never could see or, in some cases, never have taken the time to see.

It is a somewhat endearing trait, in a way, that we care what others think about us. But it also illustrates plainly that we do not think enough of ourselves.

Visiting San Francisco last week and now here in Denver, these are two places where you can ask anybody about these cities, and they will do everything but sing and dance in describing them.

We need to do more of that. No rose-colored glasses are needed, either.

If you don’t have any interest in baseball or in specifically a pretty bad baseball team, that’s fine, but I hope you (by, perhaps, spending a few days following his Pirates coverage) can appreciate the seriousness in which Dejan does his work and reports on a city and its baseball team, and I’m glad his thoughts and observations are a part of my daily reading.

On another note, it made me exceedingly proud tonight (as the group I traveled with to Sweden gathered at my house to look back and look forwards) to hear Arianna, who has started blogging here, cite Russ’ thoughts, from his blog here, in our conversation. (It wasn’t only through hyperlinks, I had used what Russ wrote here to initiate some conversation in youth group a couple of weeks back.) I try to take my life, conversations and connections on this Internet seriously and use them, not for viral videos and forwarded e-mails, but for a conversation that we otherwise could never have. It really made me proud and happy. I’ve never specifically realized or thought out all of the things I try to pass on to the younger generation as I work at my church, specifically, but some of these things I’ve been blogging about tonight vaguely (like place, stories, community and conversations) are certainly some of those things.

Filed under: Pittsburgh , conversation, dejan kovacevik, writing

The Hush Sound at the Rex, tonight

I don’t go to many concerts, and this will be my first time at the Rex (on Carson Street, the South Side). So I’m stoked.

We’re seeing The Hush Sound, an indie rock quartet (Bob, Greta, Darren and Chris) from Chicago who’ve toured with such bands as Jack’s Mannequin and Straylight Run. Tonight they’ll be with Hello Stranger and I’ll be with Adam, Andrew, Jamie, Jessie, ArGu and ArGar. I don’t have anything particularly interesting to say other than that, just thought I’d share my excitement.

Some randomness:
- I played Scrabble earlier tonight (Sunday). Some words I used: jig, fig, zed, easy, quo… and I can’t remember any other cool ones. But there were more. (Aren’t words awesome?)
- Today’s my sister Stacy’s birthday. So, happy birthday, Stac! It’s also Ryan’s birthday. I don’t think you read my blog, but happy birthday to you, too, bud.
- The Pirates have scored more runs so far in August than any other team in baseball. That’s just sort of ridiculous.
- Leopard looks absolutely disgusting. Take the tour sitting down, and then get a Mac.
- Sam and Eee are having a girl!! Her name is Emma, and here’s the baby blog.

Filed under: Pittsburgh , concert, music, randomness, the hush sound, the rex

Pittsburgh

I love Facebook. I think it’s an amazing site and it’s crazy to me that I didn’t sign up for it until after I graduated college, because when I was in college Geneva didn’t have a Facebook page. The Internet changes so mind-bogglingly quick, it’s just craziness. But that’s not my point. Facebook has this great app right now called “Where I’ve Been” where you click on places you’ve lived in (red), visited (blue) and would like to visit (green). Here’s my map:

But that’s not my point either. I think that someone should (and I would if I was a bit more Internet savvy) create a “Where I’ve Been: Pittsburgh” edition with all its neighborhoods and towns and streets, because I think Pittsburgh is one of the most interesting cities or places to explore, anywhere. My family moved to Pittsburgh the summer before I started Kindergarten, and I consider it my home as much as anyone can call a place home. I love it here and though I love to travel, see new places, and may live in new places, Pittsburgh will always, always be where I come home to. But, no matter how much I drive around Pittsburgh and explore, there’s always some new place to find. When I go somewhere in Pittsburgh, I seldom go exactly the same way twice, and that’s not because I’m a bad driver or bad with directions, it’s because that’s the beauty of Pittsburgh.

If there ever is an un-planned city, I would have to think Pittsburgh would be it. Even if you wanted to plan a grid of some sort or anything that made sense, how could you? The topography throughly prohibits any such endeavor. And it pretty well prohibits any thorough exploration of the city and it’s varied and unique neighborhoods, streets and towns. And there are a lot of them.

This is one of the many reasons I love it here. And these are just inside the city limits, where I’ve never lived. (Though, over the past year I have spent a lot more time exploring the city than I have in years past… I can thank Sam and Jo especially for that one.)

I have lived in Chippewa Township and in Beaver Falls on College Hill (both up in Beaver County), Moon Township, Franklin Park and in Wexford. My church where I’ve gone for years and now work is in Robinson. And despite this, or because of this, it’s truly amazing to me that I can drive around the north and west suburbs (and Beaver County) and find so many places that have so much meaning to me. The place we sometimes got ice cream after little league games. The elementary school I went to. The other one I went to. The highway where I looked enviously at black Jettas when I was a kid starting to think about driving (I ended up with a blue one of course). The dentist office I’ve gone to since I was 8. This place where this happened. Or this time with these people or this person. It goes on and on and I realize this isn’t unique to me and Pittsburgh. But in another way, it is.

If you’re not from Pittsburgh or have never been here, it’s probably hard to imagine or understand how Pittsburghers give and receive directions. Turn right where the store used to be, follow it to the end of the road, turn left, follow the road to the right down the hill, at the 6-way intersection take the 3rd right that goes back up the hill, and we’re just past the old fire house that you can’t see from the road. And once you get there that way, you can’t go the same way back.

Most of you are from Pittsburgh and I’m preaching to the choir here… most of you probably understand it better than I do because your parents are from here, too, and your grandparents, and Pittsburgh and the rivers and streets and bridges and hills are more ingrained in your life than they’ll ever be in mine. And that’s awesome. But I’m thankful that I call Pittsburgh home, and while I can wish that Pittsburgh was like Chicago or DC or New York and had a great subway system or like Denver or somewhere that was a grid or like anywhere that I could actually ride my bike somewhere (that’s on me for living in the suburbs) for now, me and my Jetta are used to the hills and winding shortcuts and confusing road signs and orange barrels that make up Pittsburgh, and all the crazy intersections and guesses and surprises that you need to encounter to make it from Point A to Point B.

As long as A and B are both in Western PA.

Filed under: Pittsburgh , facebook, neighborhoods

Sylar is the new Spock

And he’s from Pittsburgh. Here’s an interview.

The new Trek movie, set for a Christmas 2008 release, is being directed by J.J. Abrams (of LOST fame) and will tell the story of a young Kirk and Spock, just starting off at Star Fleet Academy. Kirk has yet to be cast, though Matt Damon has been rumored. I think that’d be a great choice, but supposedly Abrams is looking “younger.” Whatev. As for my opinion on Sylar as Spock–it’s awesome he’s from Pittsburgh, but I wasn’t super impressed with Zachary Quinto’s performance on Heroes. He pulls off creepy, but more often, I thought, he over-acted. Maybe I’m just still down on the whole show since the finale failed to live up to my “save the world” expectations. There are reasons why I’ll watch Heroes next season (Hiro mostly) but I suppose now I can watch it to see the next Spock.

Live long, Zach, and kudos.

Filed under: Pittsburgh , heroes, j.j. abrams, star trek, zachary quinto

Pittsburgh’s own: Sylar

I haven’t listened to this yet, so I have no idea if it’s interesting or anything, but Heroes actor Zachary Quinto is from Pittsburgh (graduated from CMU, would like to play Spock so I hear, in the forthcoming Star Trek prequel) and he talked to the Post-Gazette. Check it out.

Filed under: Pittsburgh , heroes, star trek, zachary quinto

Pittsburgh numero uno?

So I love Pittsburgh, but something about this ranking seems a little fishy.

According to the article, we didn’t do anything well, but we did everything pretty average. From crime to real estate to uh, whatever else they ranked (I haven’t looked all the closely… if you can’t tell) we were pretty much middle of the pack (our highest ranking: recreation, was 21st), and that, in the end, put us on top. I say that’s lame.

While we couldn’t compete with New York for cultural diversity or Portland, Ore., for the greatest use of libraries, our total score was enough to put the city ahead of Philadelphia, San Francisco and Boston.

“Some people call Pittsburgh’s showing as the triumph of the mildly good,” said Savageau, recalling the skeptics who questioned Pittsburgh’s No. 1 ranking in 1985.

“It’s mildly good all across the categories,” he said. “Even the climate is kind of dead center. But for people who are looking for low stress, for normalcy, for affordability, for four-season climate change, for a modest crime rate, for big city amenities, that’s Pittsburgh.”

So, how many Pittsburghers really love living here? And if they love it here, why are they leaving?

I could tell you the reasons why I do indeed love it here (the rivers, the bridges, the museums, the Thai food, the streets, the neighborhoods, fries on sammitches and salads, the sports teams… which most of which, I suppose, would count as “ambiance”?) but the biggest reason why I’ll always love Pittsburgh is because I’m just the sort of guy that gives his heart to whatever he

Filed under: Pittsburgh , home, most livable city

Falcons are cool

http://www.paconserve.org/rc/peregrine.html

In 2003: http://www.post-gazette.com/healthscience/20030418peregrine2.asp

In 2007: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07080/771157-53.stm

Filed under: Pittsburgh , birds

A great day for hockey

(Picture courtesy of thepensblog.com)

No thanks to Ed Rendell, Dan Onorato and Mayor Ravenstahl, the Pens are staying in Pittsburgh, right where they belong. I think the ‘Burgh is really going to run with the Pens now–and I think now that it’s all said and done, this was a good thing. It seemed to me that the whole arena saga made Pens fans in Pittsburgh–and there sure are a ton of ‘em–come out of the woodwork and realize, and say to the hockey world, how much our hockey team means to our town. And I believe this wasn’t just bandwagon fans realizing what an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime group of young players we have, but a city really waking up and saying, sure we love our Steelers and our Buccos, but we love our Pens just as much. Bob Smizik couldn’t have been more wrong: Pittsburgh wouldn’t have been the same without the Penguins. And now we can really, truly appreciate the joy this team ought to bring us for the next decade or so. Before today we were scared to really dream about the potential of Malkin, Crosby, Staal and the rest (or at least I was), because they could’ve been winning Cups in KC. Now we know, whether miracles keep happening and the Cup comes to Pittsburgh in 2007 or not, there will be exciting hockey played in Pittsburgh for years and years to come. Kudos to the fans for showing such amazing support for the team these past months, and now not only do we have a playoff run to look forward to these next few weeks, Cup runs these next few years, but in 2009, a shining new arena to call our own. In about 20 minutes, we’ll face off against the Sabres, and a new era of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey begins.

Filed under: Pittsburgh , hockey, new arena, pittsburgh penguins