Articles Archive - Page 97 of 155 - Pittsburgh Quarterly

My husband, Henry Lea Hillman, is seven years older than me. He is the son, of course, of Pittsburgh steel mogul John H. Hillman, Jr., an industrialist who built Pittsburgh Coke & Chemical. Anyway, Henry was a friend of my older sister, and I knew his younger sister, so we all became friends. When I …

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Creative Capital

Capital Preservation Paul, Part III

by Greg Curtis

Last week we asked Mr. Market to establish the playing field for our investment contest. This week we’ll check in to see how our contestants are faring. Year 1 of the contest, we will recall, was a so-so, boring year in the markets. Mr. Market’s portfolio—that is, a portfolio with exactly the same asset allocation …

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Arts

Warhol Brings Báez’s Powerful “Bloodlines” to Pittsburgh

by Vicky A Clark

The Andy Warhol Museum’s first two exhibitions of the year are a great pairing. Jessica Beck’s excellent My Perfect Body brought together work from Warhol’s entire career that focused on body issues, from the nose picking and acne of his youth to the scars from being shot in 1968 to images of bodybuilders and Christ. …

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Health

A Doctor’s Face on a Billboard

by David Macpherson

After retiring from medicine, I drove across most of the southern and western United States to explore national parks and visit relatives. Every day, I would drive by billboards showing faces of physicians. I’m sure most of you have seen this type of marketing in the Pittsburgh region if not on billboards, then certainly in …

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Creative Capital

Capital Preservation Paul, Part II

by Greg Curtis

On the last day of March, we launched our own, far more interesting version of March Madness, namely, an investment contest. Our contest features the Investing Final Four, that is, the four main kinds of investors I’ve encountered in a long and checkered career in the financial advisory business. But instead of competing for something …

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Events

Renowned Poet and Artist Comes to the Maridon

by PQ Staff

On Saturday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. the Maridon Museum will hold a gala opening of its exhibit and art sale “A Cosmic Contemporary Collaboration.” The exhibit, which runs April 8 through June 3, will feature paintings and a performance by internationally recognized poet Huang Xiang, one of China’s greatest 20th century, post-cultural revolution …

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Opinion

The Newspapers & Rico the Baker

by Tim Menees

Pittsburgh’s old morning newspaper was the small dog in town—feistier, funkier, more colorful, more daring and, compared to the larger afternoon paper, far more fun. Its “personnel department” was Agnes who worked in an alcove full of office machines from the Roosevelt years. The Teddy Roosevelt years. Ray took over. He was bright, funny, had …

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Special Reports

Pittsburgh Today and Tomorrow 2017

by Pittsburgh Today Staff

The 2017 Pittsburgh Today and Tomorrow report, produced by Pittsburgh Today, analyzes recent data to assess the Pittsburgh region’s standing compared with 15 other regions in key economic and quality of life measures. Also included are numerous in-depth reports focusing on the most important issues facing Greater Pittsburgh. To view a PDF version of Pittsburgh …

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Arts

PICT Classic Theatre Triumphs with Fresh, Exhilarating Treatment of Oedipus Rex

by Stuart Sheppard

Although thirteen ancient Greek poets wrote Oedipus tragedies, only Sophocles’ play, “Oedipus Rex,” has survived. The Roman philosopher Seneca wrote a version, as did Julius Caesar. So did the 17th century poet John Dryden, as well as the 18th century philosopher Voltaire. It has been a foundational story of Western consciousness since Homer referenced it …

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Creative Capital

Capital Preservation Paul

by Greg Curtis

I’ve been in the business of advising wealthy families for 40 years. (Actually, it’s been longer than that, but I’ve reached the age where everything gets rounded down.) Over all those years, almost every family I’ve worked with has followed an investment strategy focused on the preservation of their capital, and it’s not hard to …

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Travel

Antarctica, Wonder that Inspires

by James Hilliard

There are times in your life that mark changes in your composition. Our trip to Antarctica was one of those times. It’s a continent without native people, but where wildlife thrives in an unpredictable environment. It’s a world without infrastructure. The scale is otherworldly and the landscape staggeringly, breathlessly beautiful. It is a landscape difficult …

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Innovation

Silicon Valley—and the Rest of Us

by Paul Scripko

Last week I was in northern California’s Bay Area for a few days and, as I prefer to do when traveling even to familiar places, I make sure to read and watch the local media rather than “the usual” array of nationally available sources. I caught a TV report on a meeting of Silicon Valley …

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Creative Capital

Loose Change, Part X

by Greg Curtis

“Without courage all other virtues are useless” – Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire We are talking about climate change, this being the tenth and (finally!) last post in my long series on “changes” that might be considered by the new Trump Administration. In my last post, I alluded to scientific misgivings about the seminal “Seven Nations” …

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Events

Shake Your Booties Down Bourbon Street

by PQ Staff

Silver platters overflowing with bejeweled masks and long strands of vibrantly colored beads ensured guests of The Children’s Home & Lemieux Family Center wouldn’t be empty handed for their Mardi Gras-themed Shake Your Booties party. At least, for those who didn’t come fully prepared. “I found this upstairs in our house and thought, ‘If I …

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Events

Green Gala Honors Sy Holzer

by PQ Staff

“He’s what makes Pittsburgh go,” said Art Rooney II. “He’s been one of the spokes of Pittsburgh for the past 30 years or so, and we’re excited to give him his dues tonight.” Accolades abounded for PNC Executive Vice President and Special Advisor to the Chairman Sy Holzer, honored with the 2017 Chairman’s Award for …

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Events

Gentlemen’s Night Out

by PQ Staff

Gentlemen’s Night Out was hosted on Friday, February 17 at Heinz Field Champions Club. The black-tie event was presented by Mascaro Construction Company, and chaired by the company’s Executive VP Michael Mascaro to benefit the National Aviary. Nearly 200 guests arrived to the Champions Club where they were greeted by various National Aviary birds! Guests …

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Events

Kicking Off a Collaboration

by PQ Staff

More than 400 guests filled the August Wilson Center Thursday for the Private Performance and Premiere Party kicking off Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Dance Theatre of Harlem’s two-week collaboration celebrating the diversity of talent and styles in American ballet. Presented by BNY Mellon, the collaboration spans nine joint performances and 27 educational programs throughout the …

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Creative Capital

Loose Change, Part IX

by Greg Curtis

Headline of the future: “Oat Bran—the Silent Killer.” (Woody Allen or David Letterman, I forget which.) We are courageously dealing with the controversial subject of climate change, but since my courage is running low, this will be our next-to-last foray into the subject. My fundamental argument about the climate issue is that while the climate …

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Arts

Reflections on “1984” in 2017

by Stuart Sheppard

Critics have argued that we cannot evade Shakespeare’s influence on our conception of human nature, nor Freud’s influence on our understanding of psychology, and I would suggest, as a corollary, that we cannot escape George Orwell’s influence on our notion of the political. The Orwellian ethos, manifested in works such as his final novel, “1984”, …

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American Spirit

The Voice of…Living

by Kate Benz, photography by John Altdorfer

It’s that voice. Like smoldering embers from a raging bonfire, three ice-cold rocks swimming in aged whiskey. No, make that scotch. Deep. Mysterious. Alluring. The no-way-in-hell-you-can-or-want-to-ignore-that voice. “Yeah, all coming from a short, skinny guy in Baden.” The short, skinny guy in Baden is leaning out of his kitchen door, taking a few long drags …

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PQ Poem

Assisted Living

by Barbara Edelman

“Every simile’s an insurrection” (unknown) Her phone is like a cordless baby. Her children are a blur of programmed digits. Each week she learns new rituals to survive, from toothbrush to spoon. Her softball glove, her Raleigh 3-speed are not even memory. Her new sports are dress, food, hygiene. A slalom course to every doorknob. …

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Creative Capital

Loose Change, Part VIII

by Greg Curtis

“What have future generations ever done for us?” – Groucho Marx Last week we took on the controversial subject of climate change. This week, just to demonstrate how reckless a humble blogger can be, we’ll return to the scene of the crime and do it all over again. When I was in college I took …

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