[wplug] Wi-Fi (now a political flame war) I QUIT

[Brent M. Rust]

No, it was called for. I called for it.

Pittsburgh is so damn hard headed. All of you, in the tech industry,
should know it first hand. Although the businesses "use" technology,
they don't seem to "embrace" it. How many cities of this size, have
THREE LARGE UNIVERSITIES of the likes of Duquesne, CMU and the Univ of
Pittsburgh? Plus all the medium and small colleges in the area. How many
of those graduates stay? Why don't they stay? Because the high tech job
market is poor. Why is it poor...because the companies want to hire you
on a temporary basis, little or no benefits and no future. 
IF they think you are doing well, you lose the temp contract, then they
hire you again in two months. I have been in many cities, big and small,
and Pittsburgh is like no other. Hell, they can't even make roads right
around here. How many intersections that end up with :
"YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE!"?
The technology infrastructure for advanced anything is sorely lacking
and (native) people just absolutely hate change! They would rather see
things buried and dead before something happens to improve. That
"something" is usually someone forced to come to the area, seeing the
dead and dying decay and start making changes. Those people (that aren't
from around here) don't have political ties, family ties or any friends.
So they can actually do things right, and get them done. They won't ask,
they just do it! Then everyone else jumps on the bandwagon saying "yeah,
I've been trying to do this for years!"

How many wireless ISP's have started in Pittsburgh? How many are still
around? Look at Miami, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Oregon, Ohio,
many other cities and they are thriving because they are embracing
technology. Pittsburgh is whining because the air is cleaner and they
only have once choice of gas company and one telephone company to choose
from. Or their city wants to add wireless for the masses and the
Governor signed a law that says you have to get permission from the
biggest phone provider in the area. And if they say NO, then you can't
get wireless. If that isn't technology stifling, what is?!

How do I know this? I am not from around here, and in the two in a half
years, I have done more for my community than most of the people that
have lived in it for 20, 30, hell 60 years. All they do is complain.
Quit complaining, get off your butt and make change.

Sorry for the rant, but the intellect of this board is more than what I
usually get to be a part of in my daily life. I respect everyone's
opinions. But it's a sad thing to see the available talent, and the
companies piss it away with the bravado blue collar "my grand dad was a
steel worker" attitude. I see it every day, and I see the results. Look
around. It ain't pretty.

By the way...the federal deficit, isn't just because of one man. It's
the curse of a nation, not just the current elected official(s). Your
deluded if you think it's solely Bushes fault. Everyone is at fault! If
you don't like the deficit, vote, if you vote, run for office.


..That was completely uncalled for.

..Let's take it backchannel before I'm forced to mention the federal
deficit.

..On Tue, 18 Oct 2005, Brent M. Rust wrote:

>
>> I've lived in a number of North American cites in my adult life, and 
>> I've never seen anything like this before. Direct and indirect taxes 
>> will kill this place- mark my words.
>
> It's been dying for a decade
>
>> Hint: the infrastructure here is crumbling, the municipal funds are 
>> horribly mismanaged, and the response to all of this is to raise 
>> taxes... yet there's nothing being offered in return to those who 
>> actually PAY the taxes. Unfortunately, new stadiums don't cut it 
>> (sorry, wrong demographic).
>
> Look at who made those decisions. Lets re-elect all those (dare I 
> throw fuel to the fire).....DEMOCRATS!
>
> Yeah, I said it......flame away........ ;<