Articles Archive - Page 62 of 158 - Pittsburgh Quarterly

Dr. Gary Swanson has been the recipient of two gifts given in his honor: a goat donated to a family in Africa and trees planted along the streets of Detroit. As someone who likes goats and hails from Detroit, he appreciates the thoughtfulness behind these gifts. But, research shows it was the gift giver who …

Is it Really Better to Give than to Receive? Read More »

Regional News

Local Wages Rise, but Growth is Slow

by Bill O'Toole

Wages in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical area continued to grow in the second quarter of 2019, but at a slower rate than the average among Pittsburgh Today benchmark regions, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The region’s average weekly wage rose from $1,134 to $1,159 from the second quarter of 2018 to …

Local Wages Rise, but Growth is Slow Read More »

Regional News

Widening Wage Gap Separates White and Minority Workers

by Bill O'Toole

The gap between white and minority workers grew by a whopping 62 percent from 2007 to 2017 in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. The report’s authors said the findings, based on data from the Brookings Institution’s Metro Monitor Report for 2019, point to weaknesses …

Widening Wage Gap Separates White and Minority Workers Read More »

Arts

Nuts About Nutcrackers

by Barbara Eichenlaub

When Steubenville comes to mind, you probably don’t think of the Rust Belt town as a travel destination. Mayor Jerry Barilla has been intent on changing that and the narrative of industrial decline that has dominated the town. Its population of 18,000 is less than half what it was in 1940—between 1980 and 2000, Weirton-Steubenville …

Nuts About Nutcrackers Read More »

Architecture & Neighborhoods

Hard Times in Yellow Dog

by John Beale

In 2014, Joe Meyer moved across Pennsylvania with a dream of transforming Yellow Dog Village, an abandoned limestone mining town in Armstrong County, into a living historic site where tourists could experience life in the early 1900s. [ngg src=”galleries” ids=”348″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]Five years later, facing tax liens and unable to secure financing, Meyer’s dream of …

Hard Times in Yellow Dog Read More »

Health

Climbing Past the Weight-Loss Plateau

by Joseph A. Luxbacher

Question: “I’ve been on an exercise plan for several months and have lost 20 pounds. I still hope to lose 5 more pounds but seem to be stuck at my present weight. Why is it so hard to lose those last few pounds, and what can I do to reach my target weight?” You are …

Climbing Past the Weight-Loss Plateau Read More »

Sports

Duck Delivers

by Matthew John Milligan

Two teams have separated from the pack through 13 weeks; the Saints and the Ravens have established comfortable three-game advantages. The rest is completely up for grabs. With only four weeks to go, five division leaders are separated by a single game. The stakes are a little higher when December rolls around. With New England’s …

Duck Delivers Read More »

Opinion

Holiday Thoughts from the Dalai Lama’s Physician

by Douglas Heuck

Dr. Barry Kerzin, Buddhist Monk and physician to the Dalai Lama, is back in Pittsburgh, continuing his work with UPMC nurses, building compassion, resilience and mindfulness into their daily activities, with the goal of decreasing stress and increasing fulfillment. (See a longer PQ story on Kerzin here). He is in discussions to possibly begin similar …

Holiday Thoughts from the Dalai Lama’s Physician Read More »

Creative Capital

Responsible Investing

by Greg Curtis

We are observing how one of the world’s most successful investors—the New Zealand Super Fund—manages its capital, and considering whether we might not mimic some of what the Fund has been doing. The idea is to improve our own returns both on an absolute basis and on a risk-adjusted basis. Here are two more strategies …

Responsible Investing Read More »

Arts

Andy Warhol Returns to Pittsburgh

by Gordon Nelson

On an autumn evening in Pittsburgh 40 years ago, a larger than usual, fancier than typical, and more expensive than ever event was staged as an acquisition benefit for the Carnegie Museum of Art. On this special Saturday night, 250 formally dressed ladies and gentlemen entered the Heinz Galleries to find a simply decorated space …

Andy Warhol Returns to Pittsburgh Read More »

Regional News

For Southwestern Pennsylvania, a Few Reasons to Be Thankful

by Pittsburgh Today Staff

In the Thanksgiving tradition of reflection and expressions of gratitude, here are a few trends that have raised the quality of life a bit in southwestern Pennsylvania, which is always a reason to be thankful. The region has enjoyed a run of low unemployment this year, as has the nation as a whole. More people …

For Southwestern Pennsylvania, a Few Reasons to Be Thankful Read More »

Region

Immigration Is Still Our Greatest Asset…

by L.E. McCullough

Each time Thanksgiving rolls around, I can’t help but recall my family’s humble arrival to these shores and the impact they had upon their adopted homeland. My First People came to this country as scorned refugees not knowing a word of the native language. In fact, they arrogantly refused to speak anything other than their …

Immigration Is Still Our Greatest Asset… Read More »

Regional News

Unemployment Unchanged; Remains Low in Region

by Julia Fraser

The Pittsburgh region’s unemployment didn’t budge from October 2018 to October 2019, but plenty is changing in the region’s economy. Metropolitan Pittsburgh’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 4.1 percent in October, unchanged from October 2018, according to data from Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The national unemployment rate last month was 3.6 percent. …

Unemployment Unchanged; Remains Low in Region Read More »

Sports

Back to Quack—Steelers Soar in Comeback Win

by Matthew John Milligan

What a strange year it has been. In a season they’ve been down at halftime to two separate winless opponents, the Steelers currently occupy a playoff spot. Their quarterback is an undrafted rookie, their most valuable player a safety that wasn’t on the opening roster. Sunday’s 16 – 10 victory wasn’t without its struggles. Then …

Back to Quack—Steelers Soar in Comeback Win Read More »

Creative Capital

Are You Really Able to Think and Act Long Term?

by Greg Curtis

Investing like the New Zealand Super Fund is surprisingly easy—in concept. In practice, of course, it’s devilishly difficult. Otherwise, we’d all be rich. To see why this is the case, let’s examine some of the key features of the Super Fund’s investment approach. Thinking and acting long term. We pointed out last week that merely …

Are You Really Able to Think and Act Long Term? Read More »

Nature

Pathway to Pain

by Valentine J. Brkich

I’ve always been enchanted by the idea of a days-long hike—to head off into the woods with nothing but a pack and the possibility of adventure, much like Bill Bryson in my favorite book, “A Walk in the Woods.” But with two kids and crazy soccer schedules, I really can’t afford to take six months …

Pathway to Pain Read More »

Nature

The Urban Deerhunter

by Mark Kramer

Every July, along deer trails in pockets of forest in and around the city of Pittsburgh, Dan Krivanek and his buddies hang a bevy of camouflaged infrared LED hunting cameras in the crooks of trees. They also strew cut up apples and feed corn. Then, back in his Bridgeville borough home a few miles away, …

The Urban Deerhunter Read More »

Regional News

Job Growth Declines, Bucking Recent Trends

by Bill O'Toole

After several years of steady, if tepid, employment growth, the Pittsburgh region lost 3,000 jobs over the latest 12-month period reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. From October 2018 until October 2019, overall job growth declined by .25 percent in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area. “It’s a quarter of a percent, but …

Job Growth Declines, Bucking Recent Trends Read More »

Regional News

City Parks Fell Short in Funding Until Voters Said OK to New Tax

by Julia Fraser

When City of Pittsburgh residents voted to raise their property taxes to support public parks earlier this month, they chipped away at a major obstacle to the city park system being rated as one of the best in urban America. Voters in November approved a referendum for a .5-mill property tax increase for capital improvements …

City Parks Fell Short in Funding Until Voters Said OK to New Tax Read More »

History

It’s This Rain

by L.E. McCullough

Looking out the window of my sixth-grade classroom following noon recess, it seemed as if the entire St. Michael’s School playground was going to float away in the chill, driving rain that had been falling steadily in Indianapolis since early morning. It was a slow Friday in late November, the week before Thanksgiving vacation, and …

It’s This Rain Read More »

Regional News

An Answer from Abroad

by Jeffery Fraser

If southwestern Pennsylvania is going to pull out of its long population slump, it’s likely going to happen with people like Khara Timsina. He arrived in Pittsburgh 10 years ago, one of fewer than 300 Bhutanese refugees resettled from camps in Nepal, where they had lived after being driven from their homeland during a period …

An Answer from Abroad Read More »

Regional News

The Economics of Population

by Jeffery Fraser

Last spring, the U.S. Census Bureau released data showing that the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County once again lost population. In what has become a ritual, public officials were pressed by reporters to respond. County Executive Rich Fitzgerald suggested not reading too much into the latest of a long string of down years. Pittsburgh …

The Economics of Population Read More »