Totally OT: Was in Dallas for a few days....

[pitt-girl]

Been a while since I had been in the Lone Star state. We stayed in Plano. Two things jumped out at me - Good Lord was it hot, but if Plano is any indication, Texas is a poster child for states that clearly stay out of the way for business development. At one point I counted 9 giant cranes in a small area - construction everywhere. The oppressive heat notwithstanding, wow, if I was starting out, I would seriously think long and hard about relocating. It was busy, young, vibrant and quite a picture of American development.

 

[pierre93]

I do believe Tony D lives in Plano.....Dallas/FT Worth is a very nice area. Yes many younger people and so much to do and see.

 

[PhPanther1]

Ft worth had always been my #2 location if pittsburgh didn't work out for me. I could probably do more and be more successful there, bur Pittsburgh is my home and family and friends are here and that's more important to me than a few extra dollars.

But you are correct, its beautiful down there and the southern charm is definately alive and well there. It's quite the culture shock for me when I go there to see how much nicer and more friendly people are there vs up in the north where it seems like everybody has a stick up there ass and is angry at the world.

 

[Pittbaseball11]

I read on here that Dixon left Pitt for a school out on the prairie so I'll just take your word for it I guess

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

In a former life, for business reasons, I used to have to travel to Texas a couple of times per month and I have a different point of view.

First let me say that I really like the San Antonio and Austin areas – they're only about an hour apart. Austin in particular is really a pretty city and it has a hell of a lot going on. San Antonio is a little quieter – surprisingly small really – but that area down by the Riverwalk is really cool.

I am OK with Dallas/Fort Worth. They are very different from each other. Dallas feels cosmopolitan and eastern; Fort Worth, on the other hand, feels decidedly old west.

Houston, on the other hand, is a complete piece of shitt. It's basically like if you put Detroit on the surface of the sun. And yet, it too is growing like a bad weed.

However, my biggest problem with Texas is Texans. They are the most inauthentic people I've ever met. Where some see Southern charm, I see phony baloney's not to be trusted.

I obviously met a number of very nice people along the way too. However, most of them were transplants from somewhere else. In my experience, I found most of the natives Texans to be boastful, inauthentic, and extremely status conscious. It's just not my kind of place and they are definitely not my kind of people. There are some pretty areas though.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Well.....in my former job (yes dealing with Oil and Gas) I traveled to Texas probably 7-8 times a year. Mostly Houston (obviously). My thoughts:

1) Agree San Antonio and Austin are really cool places to visit (and eat). Also for Foodies, Any of the big 4 Texas cities far surpass Pittsburgh.
2) People are surprised just how big and sprawling both Houston and Dallas are.
3) I don't mind Texans, but Doc is right, very status conscious and prideful of their "Texan" status. That is OK.
4) Houston.......definitely can see some of the Detroit comparisons, I usually stayed and visited places up in the North/Northeast (the Woodlands) which was a nicer area. There are some areas of Houston that look like Nairobi or Lagos than an American city (ugh)

Also, I find it all backwards in Texas. I prefer higher taxes and regulations to prop up a bloated government dynasty that add little to society and just takes from the people that continues to grow even though it is unsustainable in many ways. I feel great with my tax bills, knowing that "good people", "honest people", "trustworthy people" (by the way there is a prize to anyone on here guessing who I am spoofing with those comments) are utilizing my tax monies to continue their boondoggles and incompetence without contributing anything to our state/city. I don't believe in low taxes and regulations to drive business growth. I think most businesses prefer to pay more of their profits to help support these government people continuing their governance and empires of bureaucracy. But hey, it's just me.


Oh, and big PS. Yinz all in Western PA like me walk outside today and hit that sauna and just were like....damn, this sucks. In Houston, a day like this is called Wednesday. The weather sucks.

 

[Saboteur]

I'm not a fan of living in the past or living in poverty....unless one can't avoid it.
There are reasons why people flock to cities such as Dallas and reasons why they don't flock to Pittsburgh.
Weather is only part of the equation and tends to be a non factor...I don't recall anyone saying at any time, no, that's a great job but I refuse to go there because it is a) too hot, b) too cold, c) too wet, d) too dry, e) some other excuse.
Almost always the people that I have heard say that are those never came anywhere close to being offered a job in any such venue.

 

[JD1976]

Been a while since I had been in the Lone Star state. We stayed in Plano. Two things jumped out at me - Good Lord was it hot, but if Plano is any indication, Texas is a poster child for states that clearly stay out of the way for business development. At one point I counted 9 giant cranes in a small area - construction everywhere. The oppressive heat notwithstanding, wow, if I was starting out, I would seriously think long and hard about relocating. It was busy, young, vibrant and quite a picture of American development.

Your observation about the cities in Texas, specifically in the DFW Metroplex, not standing in the way of growth and business development is accurate. I have a home in DFW (McKinney/Frisco border to be specific) and travel back and forth quite a bit. Plano is going to be the home to Toyota and Liberty Mutual's North American headquarters. If you were in the area along the Dallas North Tollway that is the reason for the massive cranes. Go 3 miles further up and you will see the Cowboys massive new headquarters.

That area is the gold standard for the public-private partnership. The cities all are very welcoming to business development and bend over backwards to compete with other locations. The tax advantages of doing business in Texas is like no other in America.

What I love about the DFW area is all of those big suburbs, especially the ones north of Dallas like Plano, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, The Colony, all have their own identities. They are 20 miles from Dallas, but the civic pride is evident. They all compete with each other and it fosters further growth.

Aside from the sweltering heat this time of year, it's hands down the best place I've ever lived and would recommend it to anyone. Plus, if you love sports (youth, college or professional), it's a paradise.

 

[President Stache]

Been a while since I had been in the Lone Star state. We stayed in Plano. Two things jumped out at me - Good Lord was it hot, but if Plano is any indication, Texas is a poster child for states that clearly stay out of the way for business development. At one point I counted 9 giant cranes in a small area - construction everywhere. The oppressive heat notwithstanding, wow, if I was starting out, I would seriously think long and hard about relocating. It was busy, young, vibrant and quite a picture of American development.

I have an office in McKinney, and stay in Plano all the time, great place. Love that corner of Dallas

 

[Panther Parrothead]

I travel to San Antonio several times a year (family visits), and I was surprised to learn that it's currently ranked #7 in population among US cities. When one thinks about "Texas", often only Houston and Dallas (and maybe Austin) come to mind. But San Antonio is huge, too.

The food is usually good, but my curiosity extends only to Mexican & barbeque when I'm down there. They've got some respectable places for brisket - especially on the outskirts of town. But Mexican food is "the thing" down there: they have Mexican restaurants to the same degree that Pittsburgh has pizza shops.

 

[HailtoPitt]

3 of the last 4 Dallas mayors were democrats. Hmmm.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

3 of the last 4 Dallas mayors were democrats. Hmmm.

And everyone else are Republicans. A perfect example of the parties having to work together for the best interests of everyone. Here, the mayor is a Democrat. The County Commissioners are Democrats. The School Board is Democrats. The DA. Everyone. Just like most Northeastern and Rust Belt cities.

 

[pittdan77]

Houston, on the other hand, is a complete piece of shitt. It's basically like if you put Detroit on the surface of the sun. And yet, it too is growing like a bad weed.

That actually made me bust out laughing. Well done Doc.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

In all sincerity, I know two separate people – with no connection to each other whatsoever – who were each murdered in Houston, Texas.

I don't personally know anyone who was murdered anywhere else.

 

[President Stache]

Are you confessing Doc?

 

[Jpripper88]

I'm not a fan of living in the past or living in poverty....unless one can't avoid it.
There are reasons why people flock to cities such as Dallas and reasons why they don't flock to Pittsburgh.
Weather is only part of the equation and tends to be a non factor...I don't recall anyone saying at any time, no, that's a great job but I refuse to go there because it is a) too hot, b) too cold, c) too wet, d) too dry, e) some other excuse.
Almost always the people that I have heard say that are those never came anywhere close to being offered a job in any such venue.

Hmmm, I know many, including myself. Midwest (save Chicago) and Southwest are places I travel to, but would have to be absolutely overwhelmed to live in. Money or opportunity can trump a lot, but for many the offer would have to floor them to consider certain parts of the country. When the offers/opportunities have been just better and not overwhelming I (and many) have passed. Weather and the city/area are very, very important considerations for a lot of people.

 

[phxpanther]

I travel to San Antonio several times a year (family visits), and I was surprised to learn that it's currently ranked #7 in population among US cities. When one thinks about "Texas", often only Houston and Dallas (and maybe Austin) come to mind. But San Antonio is huge, too.

I think the reason why people don't think of SA as a very large city is because, while the city itself is 7th in population, the SA metro area is only 25th in population. That's why the Spurs are referred to as a small market team

 

[Pittbaseball11]

In all sincerity, I know two separate people – with no connection to each other whatsoever – who were each murdered in Houston, Texas.

I don't personally know anyone who was murdered anywhere else.

Houston has no zoning, which makes it nearly impossible to find a truly safe area in the city. It was shocking to me how common muggings were in parking lots right near where I lived -- and I'm in a decent part of town. But, even in the "nice" areas, you'll have pockets that are super seedy, or you'll have super seedy areas that are close by. West University, a deed restricted area that's sort of its own little community within the city has periods where they'll have a bunch of break-ins. Then the Wards are just a totally different story.

The Woodlands is pretty nice, as somebody mentioned, but that's sort of its own deal about a half hour outside of the city. The surrounding suburbs like Katy, Richmond, Sugar Land, and Pearland are alright as well, although the "money" vibe feels a little more present in The Woodlands than elsewhere.

The suburbs in DFW are definitely a bit more affluent on a whole, and the city itself is probably nicer on the whole.

 

[Perrypanther]

Been a while since I had been in the Lone Star state. We stayed in Plano. Two things jumped out at me - Good Lord was it hot, but if Plano is any indication, Texas is a poster child for states that clearly stay out of the way for business development. At one point I counted 9 giant cranes in a small area - construction everywhere. The oppressive heat notwithstanding, wow, if I was starting out, I would seriously think long and hard about relocating. It was busy, young, vibrant and quite a picture of American development.

Austin, San Antonio, Dallas - perhaps, I like only because they aren't Texas. I am not familiar with Plano. To be perfectly frank, Texas's lack of regulations, ostensibly good for business, sure puts it to the environment and workers.

 

[bwh05]

My dad lived in Dallas for a long time so I spent a lot of time there. It definitely has some good points like the weather, great job market, cheap housing & TONS of hot women. I really hated the sprawl of the place, and the thought the people were phony. I mean, if you were blindfolded you wouldn't be able to differentiate between any of the suburbs. Its all the same strip malls & subdivisions that all look identical.

 

[thebadby2]

Been a while since I had been in the Lone Star state. We stayed in Plano. Two things jumped out at me - Good Lord was it hot, but if Plano is any indication, Texas is a poster child for states that clearly stay out of the way for business development. At one point I counted 9 giant cranes in a small area - construction everywhere. The oppressive heat notwithstanding, wow, if I was starting out, I would seriously think long and hard about relocating. It was busy, young, vibrant and quite a picture of American development.

Only two things come out of Texas........

 

[thebadby2]

My dad lived in Dallas for a long time so I spent a lot of time there. It definitely has some good points like the weather, great job market, cheap housing & TONS of hot women. I really hated the sprawl of the place, and the thought the people were phony. I mean, if you were blindfolded you wouldn't be able to differentiate between any of the suburbs. Its all the same strip malls & subdivisions that all look identical.

Let's call it like it is-it's hell on earth. Keep Austin and let the rest of TX secede like they've wanted for more than a century.

"Southern Charm" in the sprawling, generic, suburban hell of the DFW Metroplex-somebody posted this above. That's one of the funniest things I've seen on here in a long time. RUFKM

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

In all sincerity, I know two separate people – with no connection to each other whatsoever – who were each murdered in Houston, Texas.

I don't personally know anyone who was murdered anywhere else.

Dude, one time I was going to meet customers at a restaurant, and I remember the exact Street name, Gray Street. So we punched in the address in the GPS and HOLY CHRIST............it was like tumbleweeds, wild dogs, boarded up buildings, crack addicts, the worst of the worst, thank god it was summer so at 7:00 it was still daylight......

What we missed was the "W" in front of Gray Street, as in WEST Gray Street. Houston has alot of really not so nice areas. But it is the 4th largest city in the US. Great food there. Just so spread out.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

Dude, one time I was going to meet customers at a restaurant, and I remember the exact Street name, Gray Street. So we punched in the address in the GPS and HOLY CHRIST............it was like tumbleweeds, wild dogs, boarded up buildings, crack addicts, the worst of the worst, thank god it was summer so at 7:00 it was still daylight......

What we missed was the "W" in front of Gray Street, as in WEST Gray Street. Houston has alot of really not so nice areas. But it is the 4th largest city in the US. Great food there. Just so spread out.

My only experience with Houston is having to drive thru it once (on I-10), so I'm not knowledgable about the workings of it. But what I do remember is how long that it took to drive thru Houston as compared to....say, Pittsburgh.

Sprawling? You betcha. It seems as though it took forever to get out of their "downtown" area....but once we were away from that, the topography seemed to switch instantly to something that resembled what you'd see on the TV shows "Dallas" or "Bonanza": acres and acres of farms and not much else. The quick change and contrast between "urban/city" and the rolling prairie was striking.

 

[pitt-girl]

Austin, San Antonio, Dallas - perhaps, I like only because they aren't Texas. I am not familiar with Plano. To be perfectly frank, Texas's lack of regulations, ostensibly good for business, sure puts it to the environment and workers.

I'm not following. I have no idea about Texas or their regulations - are you talking about some inability to unionize? Cause it seems to me with the massive amount of development I saw, the availability for work was irrefutable.

 

[NTOP]

My only experience with Houston is having to drive thru it once (on I-10), so I'm not knowledgable about the workings of it. But what I do remember is how long that it took to drive thru Houston as compared to....say, Pittsburgh.

Sprawling? You betcha. It seems as though it took forever to get out of their "downtown" area....but once we were away from that, the topography seemed to switch instantly to something that resembled what you'd see on the TV shows "Dallas" or "Bonanza": acres and acres of farms and not much else. The quick change and contrast between "urban/city" and the rolling prairie was striking.

My only visit to Houston was a one-night biz trip in 1981. After closing a deal, the local guy (Youngstown native), took me to a Cajun joint for dinner. Talking to the hostess, she asked where I was from, told her Pixburgh, she asked if I knew the Pleasure Bar, which her Daddy owned. She laughed when I told her I had been there the night before, after a Pitt hoops game...small world. BTW, the guy from Y-town described Houston as "living in a fart"...with all the refineries outside the city, all directly upwind. Not pleasant at all.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

I'm not following. I have no idea about Texas or their regulations - are you talking about some inability to unionize? Cause it seems to me with the massive amount of development I saw, the availability for work was irrefutable.

My son recently had some home projects done on his place in San Antonio. The workmanship was great; it cost him waaay less than similar work would've cost in Western PA.

And no, it's not a "union thing", since home remodelers in Western PA are rarely, if ever, unionized. People in Texas just seem to be willing to work cheaper than in Western PA.

 

[Pittbaseball11]

My son recently had some home projects done on his place in San Antonio. The workmanship was great; it cost him waaay less than similar work would've cost in Western PA.

And no, it's not a "union thing", since home remodelers in Western PA are rarely, if ever, unionized. People in Texas just seem to be willing to work cheaper than in Western PA.

No state income tax probably helps with that a bit, and the cost of living is actually pretty reasonable -- even compared to Pittsburgh.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

No state income tax probably helps with that a bit, and the cost of living is actually pretty reasonable -- even compared to Pittsburgh.

Could be. I wonder whether the influx of Mexicans - who would certainly work for less - has made all tradesmen drop their prices to compete? I really don't know....

 

[Pittbaseball11]

Could be. I wonder whether the influx of Mexicans - who would certainly work for less - has made all tradesmen drop their prices to compete? I really don't know....

Could be, there's a pretty heavy Mexican presence in construction in Houston, I'd imagine it's the same in San Antonio which has a pretty large population as well.

 

[pitt-girl]

My son recently had some home projects done on his place in San Antonio. The workmanship was great; it cost him waaay less than similar work would've cost in Western PA.

And no, it's not a "union thing", since home remodelers in Western PA are rarely, if ever, unionized. People in Texas just seem to be willing to work cheaper than in Western PA.

I don't disagree with any of this. What I was responding to to was a post that said the lack of regulations in Texas (is there?), "puts it" to the workers. You may be right, but it kind of goes against common sense that there would be more who are willing to work more cheaply in a area with more job availability. I would assume that to be in the reverse.

 

[Panther Parrothead]

I don't disagree with any of this. What I was responding to to was a post that said the lack of regulations in Texas (is there?), "puts it" to the workers. You may be right, but it kind of goes against common sense that there would be more who are willing to work more cheaply in a area with more job availability. I would assume that to be in the reverse.

All good points. But while there's job availability, there's also an ever-increasing population.

Sometimes it's a challenge to connect workers to jobs, even when the jobs are there waiting to be had.

 

[bwh05]

All good points. But while there's job availability, there's also an ever-increasing population.

Sometimes it's a challenge to connect workers to jobs, even when the jobs are there waiting to be had.

The state is also freaking enormous, which adds to the constant development. First, Dallas grew to meet Ft. Worth, now things keep moving further and further out. At least its flat with a ton of highways.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

My son recently had some home projects done on his place in San Antonio. The workmanship was great; it cost him waaay less than similar work would've cost in Western PA.

And no, it's not a "union thing", since home remodelers in Western PA are rarely, if ever, unionized. People in Texas just seem to be willing to work cheaper than in Western PA.

Large immigrant population helps .
Many skilled workers willing to work cheap , relatively .

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Keep Austin and let the rest of TX secede like they've wanted for more than a century.

I sat on a plane from McAllen to Houston once a decade or so ago in the row behind a guy who was explaining to the woman sitting next to him (someone he didn't know, as far as I could tell) that because Texas is still a Republic it was the only state in the union that could legally secede from the country and the United States would have no recourse but to let them go.

Thank god someone invented headphones.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

It's an entire state - err, "republic" - full of people that act and behave just like Todd Graham.

That's not my idea of charming.

 

[63skipper]

I think( with possible exception of San Antonio and Austin ) we should have given Texas to Mexico. Would not have Kennedy shot; Johnson could not have escalated Viet Nam; the two Bushes would not have run the country. Biggest bunch of soulless people I ever encountered in my career. All form over substance and always wanting to get into someone else's pocket. If I were going to give the US an enema I would push the hose in through Texass.

 

[pitt-girl]

Thoughts and prayers with what has happened in Dallas at this point. Sickening.

 

[bwh05]

What happened tonight was an ambush. Terrible.

 

[PhPanther1]

When has protesting ever made a difference?