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Dear Ellen,
<p>Pittsburgh has changed for the worse---I think it comes down to people
fighting over the shrinking pieces of the economic pie. It's really
gotten to the fighting over the crumbs stage in many areas.
<p>At the Post Gazette, there are still three authentic Pittsburgh voices,
two journalists and a photo-journalist. The Pittsburgh media doesn't
have the personalities you remember like Rege Cordic, Porky Chadwick and
Marie Torre anymore---it's sterile corporate yuppieville today.
<p>If you like to read, <u>And The Wolf Finally Came</u> by John Herr is
a good book. There is also a little conspiracy theory book by Penn
State professor Dale Hathaway that I think is fun. Doug's comments,
posted before mine are very up to date---yes---things can always get worse.
<p>Your email pal,
<p>Tom L.
<br>
<br>
<p>eskwire wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>Hello, I am a new subscriber. I'm a female, pink-diaper
baby,
<br>always-already leftie, newly retired from California to
<br>home-town Pittsburgh, PA. I've always supported myself - film,
<br>tv, arts, software design. Oh yeah, I'm a paralegal, too. I'd
<br>like some help from your forum. If the info I need is in an
<br>archive or book -- please send me to it.
<p>I'd like to write to our (horrid, racist) newspaper and weekly
<br>free paper regarding local layoffs from steel industry plants
<br>here (incl. W.Virginia); maybe get a good discusssion going
<br>-- but I really don't know what I'm talking about. I'd like some
<br>background and information from you folks.
<p>Throughout December, there were thousands laid off work
<br>in steel plants here. TV news and the workers themselves blamed:
<br>The Government's (Clinton's) Buying Cheap Asian Steel, for their
<br>plight. Some questions I have: Is this true/ false/ too
<br>simplified? When companies have "bad quarters", are there
<br>alternatives to sticking it to lowest workers? Can stock-holders
<br>or hi/lo management eat some of loss too? When a company says,
<br>we must fire you because of "the stock-holders" ---- do
<br>companies have actual contractual agreements to keep
<br>profits at a certain level? With whom? If so, what are the
<br>additional consequences for a "bad quarter"?
<p>Pittsburgh's a great town --- really, it is! But upon returning
<br>I was shocked at the racism here and greatly saddened to see the
<br>skeletal, post-industrial neighborhoods out where I'm living -
<br>East of Pgh. in the Mon Valley.
<p>Sorry to be such a dope about economics and thanks in advance
<br>for your help.
<p>Ellen Kaufman</blockquote>
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