Comments for Steeltown Ghost town

Comment on Newsweek web video: Hillary’s Grandma Brigade by shinyobjects

shinyobjects — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:18:15 +0000

Well, there are a lot of people in this town who don’t like looking at hard truths.

These are the same people who plant flowers by the BP downtown and expect people to notice them and not the dilapidated buildings one block down the street.

Comment on Newsweek web video: Hillary’s Grandma Brigade by Michael Cashaw

Michael Cashaw — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:27:06 +0000

What was to be insulted by? It is the hard truth.

Comment on Straight Outta Johnstown Killing Blog by Javaid Akhtar

Javaid Akhtar — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 03:39:08 +0000

I think I’m suffering from an unknown , possibly as yet unmedicate-able disease…
I’m really fascinated by small towns in the US like your town.
There seems to two america’s (Obama/Hillary/McCain all inhabit one side with Hollywood and the IT / Media / Hollywood and then a vast swathe of something more low key..small town america).
In Hollywood movies ..you can see the films that exploit the hidden fear ….a yuppie taking a wrong turn or breaking down on a lonely road in his own country.How bizarre.
That kind of movie would be impossible in Britain because our ‘Outback ‘ is too tiny and filled to the rafters with rich people you want to live away from everyone else.
I will come and spend a few touristy dollars one day in Johnstown and probably check out your flood musuem as well.
Thanks for the blog.
Don’t give up yourself .

Comment on Surrounded by Rednecks, Hillbillies, & Bible Beaters Part 3: You Keep Your Newfangled Ideas Out of our Schoolin’ by cashaw

cashaw — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:47:09 +0000

I have been Johnstown for about a year, and to say J-town is behind the times is a misnomer. One day people from J-town will start to protest the Vietnam War.

Comment on New York Times by cashaw

cashaw — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:42:02 +0000

I have just recently moved here, my wife’s company moved us. I have been trying since moving here to figure out the rhythm of this town, and came pretty close to the same conclusions at the Ny Time article. What the Ny Times did not mention is there is a great amount of potential here, but there is a great amount of work to be done. First of, are the cultural issues such as distrust of outsiders, though I understand this, then there is the mind set, as mentioned in the article, of the mills coming back. Bill Clinton, if memory serves me correctly, said in a speech given in Pittsburgh during his first run for office, that the industrial revolution is over, and people will have to retrain. I think he lost Pa. for telling the truth, but Johnstown is the one actually loosing. The only people making money are the old monied people, and people who are coming into the area for various jobs. Most are moving and living in Richland, and that is where all the prosperity is going. While I have moved to Prospect Mountain, I may end up moving to Richland, or Westmont because of the City of Johnstown itself.