Outside Erie

26 Responses to “Is Erie Getting Typecast?”

1. Sean
   January 24th, 2008 at 7:46 am

   As much as people from NW PA like to think this is the East Coast….it just isn’t. As someone from the East Coast,(Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, NJ) NW PA feels very much Midwestern to me. To the Big City East Coaster, Erie is as much “Fly Over Country” as anywhere else you can name.

   Erie, like many other places in America, will generally be known by the bad things that happen here, because that’s what makes the news. We should be glad the recent gift made it into the news at all.

2. Ian Enterline
   January 24th, 2008 at 8:40 am

   Erie does get typecast a little bit. Like Sean said, every time I see something about Erie on the news, it is usually because something bad happens. (I have seen Erie on the local news here in Richmond, usually talking about snowfall amounts!) Part of the problem, and I know that Stacy has talked about this on her blog, is that even Erieites will use terms such as “Dreary Erie” or the “Mistake on the Lake”. If people from Erie use these terms, how can we expect Erie to look good to others? I have to say that even I am guilty of using these terms around others not from Erie. So, from now on, I am taking a Solemn Oath to no longer use these terms! Who is going to join me?

3. Radio Free JoJo
   January 24th, 2008 at 10:50 am

   I’m not sure that we don’t take any more hits than Buffalo or Cleveland, the latter being a beautiful, sophisticated city that’s claim to fame is not Lebron James but that the river caught on fire 40 years ago.

   Very few cities have a totally positive brand (rain in Seattle, LA with gangs & South Central, St. Louis and Philly crime) except maybe places like Nashville and Orlando. Perhaps we should emulate some of what those cities are doing in their branding.

4. Lita
   January 24th, 2008 at 11:55 am

   It will take more than just bringing positive branding to Erie once again to change its typecast. The cynics will only laugh at that.

   The current and former citizens of Erie need to improve their attitude. They need to stop acting so burned. You can say for our sake that “Erie is cool…” but deep down you won’t really mean it.

   There needs to be a dramatic overhawl in attitude! What can you do for your city to make it better? The grassroots organizations are making a difference in other cities who’ve had some trying economic times. I think that people in Erie should get off their lazy a*ses, stop complaining, and start contributing (volunteer) to make the place better… Assemble a collection of people who care about different projects!

   Come on Erieites… don’t wait for inspiration… make it happen! You can be the inspiration!

5. andy
   January 24th, 2008 at 2:22 pm

   I wouldn’t want Erie to be considered East Coast. I think the Midwestern values (manners, family, hard work) show up in Erie a lot. For me, the East Coast attitudes start east of the appalachains. I think the most East Coast thing about Erie is the fact that we are in Pennsylvania, which is an east coast/Mid-Atlantic state. Well, that doesn’t really apply since we’re nowhere near the Atlantic, but nonetheless people across the US hear “Erie, Pennsylvania” and think east coast.

6. James A
   January 24th, 2008 at 2:50 pm

   When you start getting typecast, the first thing to do is get a new agent.

   A little more seriously, if Erie doesn’t want to be typecast as a depressing old city, it ought to stop looking so depressing. Beautification projects have been mentioned quite often on the boards here. It’s a little thing, but an extremely important little thing. No matter how beautiful and talented an actress might be, she’s not going to be cast for the leading role if she shows up to the audition wearing a babushka, a haircut five years out of date, and a twenty-year-old coat.

7. Sean
   January 24th, 2008 at 3:29 pm

   You know what would help Erie’s image, a good movie or TV series. It doesn’t have to be filmed in Erie (although it wouldn’t hurt) just take place in Erie. Come on you creative types, I know you’re out there. How about a screenplay or pilot about Erie or people who live in Erie? For a movie, a nice romantic comedy would do. For TV a situation comedy. Start pitching.

8. Erie BlogWatch
   January 24th, 2008 at 8:19 pm

   May I please play devil’s advocate for a moment ?

   Agreed that the town shouldn’t be a dump, but it shouldn’t be a dump **for the sake of the people already living there** …. not just to try and offer up better eye appeal to outsiders.

   First of all, I highly doubt whether Erie would ever become a national destination city. Heck, Scranton even had a recent hit TV show based there (”The Office”) and I don’t see any great rush for charter vacations, honeymoons, etc. there. As a regional destination centered around Presque Isle, fine…..but that is rather self-limiting. Look at Cedar Point Amusement Park and then consider beautiful downtown Sandusky, OH. Get the point ?

   Anyhow, back to “image”. People see through this stuff. Fast. Especially the regional midwesterners you might attract who are a hardy stock but also a no-nonsense where’s the beef sort of folk.

   Look at all the failed shopping malls around the country, and for that matter Downtown Erie’s Transitway Mall (remember that one ?). There are other examples too. Sure, they may have had “image” at one time (debatable in the case of Transitway Mall of course) but once they fail to serve a real purpose and meet the needs of business and consumers, then all that image does precious little good.

   It’s the lipstick on a pig syndrome.

   Instead, leverage the strong points which remain: historic and not-so-historic solid buildings which managed to remain standing, access to bayfront and fresh water supply, proximity to Canada, central location between Cleveland-Pittsburgh-Buffalo at junction of several major highways, greatly diminished but still existent rail connectivity, etc. Jim Berlin and Logistics Plus has the right idea in that regard. I’m sure there are more attributes and enablers of that sort which others can point out. Shake up the calcified local and county government to increase efficiency and lower taxes along with the cost of doing business. Exploit the seasonal weather extremes, don’t try to fight em or cover them up. The rest will follow, and there will be plenty of time to work on “image”. In fact, a good image will largely evolve on its own and word will spread. Work to create a solid core of sufficiency instead of fleeting boomtown prosperity which comes and goes faster than the two months of summer.

   That’s how to get people to stop calling it “Dreary Erie”. Signs and slogans won’t do the trick, but give them real reasons so that they can’t help but make the desired inferences on their own.

   Then keep up with it ! No resting on laurels. That approach never worked well, and fugghedaboutit in today’s Internet world (preaching to the choir among this crowd, I know).

9. Sean
   January 24th, 2008 at 8:38 pm

   “First of all, I highly doubt whether Erie would ever become a national destination city. Heck, Scranton even had a recent hit TV show based there (”The Office”) and I don’t see any great rush for charter vacations, honeymoons, etc. there.”

   Making idea a destination has been the topic for other posts. This post is about the image people form in their mind when they hear Erie mentioned.

   How about a nice historical drama about the War of 1812? Master and Commander did pretty well and that was Limeys fighting Frogs in the freakin Galapagos! During the Napoleolonic era! The Perry story is way more compelling than that. And it’s true!

10. Erie BlogWatch
    January 25th, 2008 at 6:42 pm

    Sean: Thanks very much for reply comment. I mentioned the TV series only in the context of responding to your remarks above in #7.

    The historical drama would be interesting & inspirational, no doubt about that. Not enough people learn and appreciate American History anymore.

    However, I’m still unconvinced how a documentary or docudrama based on events of 200 years ago would improve anyone’s perception of modern-day Erie. Reputation or “image” is based on a continuous series of impressions built over a period of time; rarely on a one-time event (despite its obvious national & international significance), particularly from long ago.

11. Danny Lucas
    January 30th, 2008 at 5:08 pm

    In an email to Peter Marsh of the Financial Times of London, I asked him about his phrase and the subject matter called:
    “The Unfashionable town of Erie, Pennsylvania”

    We have exchanged several notes and I find an interesting discourse on how we, as a community appear to others, and why.

    The following is an unedited letter from me to Peter Marsh on January 23rd, 2008.

    Dear Mr. Marsh,

    I am Danny Lucas and a current resident in Erie, PA (USA).

    Your work on reports about GE, specifically the locomotive company division caught my eye.
    You said:

    Erie monsters are this year’s GE favourite for Immelt
    By Peter Marsh in London

    Published: January 18 2008 02:00 | Last updated: January 18 2008 02:00

    If the General Electric juggernaut has been looking a little worse for wear lately, one part of the US industrial conglomerate that shows few signs of heading into the sidings is its transportation business, based in the unfashionable town of Erie, northern Pennsylvania.
    ___________________________________________________________

    There has been a splash of concern about that tag of “unfashionable”, particularly by a community that represents such a hefty proportion of GE profit structure. Additionally, backlogs show the trend of Erie’s importance will continue.

    I am curious to know why you find the community “unfashionable”;
    I wonder why that needed worldwide announcement as well.

    Could you also expand on what could be done by the community to become “fashionable” and the ultimate effect such action would provide GE; indeed, on the entire community?

    This is my town and I am concerned that the world impression may be altered by your stance, opinion, and reknown. Before jumping to conclusions and seeing blogs rant ad nauseum, I felt it best to go straight to the horse’s mouth,….that would be you.

    Please expand on the above questions, your statement, and what effort you feel is needed on your part, to rectify any misperception of a community that GE is finding best for stuffing shareholder pockets unfashionably well via Erie, PA in their portfolio.

    I thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

    Respectfully,

    Daniel Lucas

    Four more exchanges have followed and we are not done.
    Some will follow here. Email addresses have been omitted.

12. Danny Lucas
    January 30th, 2008 at 5:19 pm

    The Unfashionable Town of Erie, Pennsylvania

    Mr. Peter Marsh of the Financial times of London replied to my inquiry. Based on my questions, he held firm to his opinion as stated here:

    dear Mr Lucas:

    many thanks for taking the opportunity to write. Of course I did not commission any opinion polls of which towns in the US are “unfashionable” and which are “fashionable”.

    But when I was in the US recently for about
    12 days – the trip that took in Erie plus 7 other cities – I did mention Erie to several people and the retort I got back was “oh what a dump” , or words to that effect.

    On the plane trip from Detroit to Erie I sat next to a young woman who was going to Erie for a job interview and she was in some doubts about whether she’d accept the job (assuming she was offered it) since she’d heard some
    somewhat negative things about Erie..to the effect that it was a rather unexciting and economically depressed. On the other hand she said she’d heard some good things about it : interesting extremes of climate, pleasant
    people, not too much crime, quiet and fairly “wholesome”, a good place to “raise a family” as they say in the USA. so she was looking forward to find out more.

    I stayed in Erie for just under 24 hrs including staying at local hotel, going to the plant & talking to perhaps 12 people there including quite a few of the shop floor workers, , waiting a few hours at the airport,
    talking to a local resident over dinner (who moved there from Detroit & liked it) , having a short taxi ride around the town centre where a local taxi driver (v pleasant) pointed out the main details.

    On the basis of all this I stick by my assertion that Erie is “unfashionable” . That’s on the basis that the town would not be considered as a place to live by most people in the US who considered themselves in the top rung of being smart , wealthy and cultured .
    best wishes
    Peter Marsh

    I have my own comments on this, but for now, I prefer Mr. Marsh’s letter speak for itself.

    I recontacted him following this exchange.

13. Danny Lucas
    January 30th, 2008 at 5:35 pm

    The Unfashionable Town of Erie, Pennsylvania became and continues a discussion between Erie,PA and London, UK.

    I contacted Mr. Marsh again, based on what he finds unfashionable about Erie and why.

    Following is my reply to Mr. Marsh.
    In the event you are a “sound bite” reader, it would be best to skip this one. For those who seek understanding into the fallacy and misconception of our community, I have done my best.

    Dear Mr. Marsh,

    I want to thank you for taking the time to respond to me in your busy schedule and expand on your position that Erie, PA is on the worldwide list of unfashionable towns. I find it a most fashionable action on your part and I am greatful. You have gained a reader.

    I have lived in Portland, Oregon and the Gulf Coast of Florida; that would be what you call fashionable to the maximum. I have lived in Bethlehem, PA and enjoyed it’s close proximity to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City.

    I have travelled 48 of the 50 states, much of Mexico and nearly all of Canada.

    I have been to Europe (albeit in my youth when my lenses of life were rose colored) and stayed in people’s homes in all of the above places.
    Europe for me, regrettably, did not include London;
    I would have enjoyed a spot of Twinings.

    I recall stepping off the plane at Orly in Paris and walking to the terminal. I was approached twice to purchase pornography enroute from plane to terminal.
    Before glimpsing the City of Lights, her darkness was revealed first.

    In Madrid, I was on the subway and was crushed from all sides. I entered the subway with a camera in my suit pocket. I left the subway with no camera; just new found knowledge that theft has no single hometown. Before witnessing my first Bullfight, or dating my first Senorita,
    I found robbery in the fashionable areas.

    In Bilboa, Spain, I ate paella for dinner at a truly unfashionable hour. I have yet to find a finer meal anywhere in the world than the Basque Country enjoys daily. Go there.

    In Germany, I was ostracised for the hugely unfashionable reason of being American.
    (Some of our governmental policies tick off the world; rightfully so, in many cases).

    However, I was then travelling with an International group called Up With People. We stayed in local homes for 3 to 5 days at a time, over several years of touring. One lady in Garmish, Germany spoke no English; my German was slim at best. I needed a shower and conveyed this in hand motions. She chopped wood and stuffed it below the water boiler to heat cold water for my shower. She had to be in her 60’s and was a real dynamo. We laughed often. When I came out of the shower, I was stunned to see my shoes had been polished (unasked) and set by my bed. Homemade, huge warm pretzels were slathered with fresh butter for breakfast. I loved it. She spoke no English; I did no German. We communicated heart to heart as humans.

    Upon leaving town the final day to head to Gallen, Switzerland, and then more Europe, this woman knew my love for those warm pretzels. She ran to her basement, carried upstairs a bicycle and headed to town. Upon return, she handed me a huge bag of those warm pretzels from the bakery nearby (she was in the countryside). I could not believe the hospitality in the same country that I had received scorn over our governmental policies (of which I had no control).
    Please note. This was done in one of the most unfashionable area of Germany.
    No one in Essen or Dusseldorf had so much as a Guten Morgen to say.

    It is a rare Christmas that I am not in New York City (in the past) at Christmas season. Shopping, snowfall, Rockette’s kicking legs in unison, the Financial District, Central Park,….I take it all in with amazement. No one would doubt the huge city of New York to be paramount in fashion.

    In recent years, a friend of mine in Amsterdam, Bernie Dunn, (runs Kuddles for Kids, a non-profit to help African children and Aids orphans), called me for a favor. He asked that I escort Elizabeth Rapuleng, she of the Zulu tribe of South Africa, to the Foundations of New York City.

    Elizabeth is a teacher. Her students failed to show. She went to their home and found parents dead of Aids and young children alone. She took in 25 and now has over 525 orphans from aids. She needs money (and prayer she said). She came to NYC under the auspices of one of our grandest foundations. She advised that she would be staying in a “cheap motel on 89th Street” — culture shock big time, eh? Her handlers advised me that they wished to save funds and not place her in downtown Manhattan; she would be moved with “her people”. Elizabeth is black; she was moved to the YWCA in Harlem. I was appalled. Since I needed to know where she was to take her to Foundations, I expressed an outrage at this treatment to a guest in our country. She was moved to a private home in Brooklyn for the next 3 weeks. They fed her nothing; they gave her little; the entire funding of her children in South Africa was a charade.

    I have rarely been as embarrassed about the United States as that moment. Elizabeth and I shopped for cheap clothing in lieu of the continual decline for money we received…..tho the same Foundations could fork over $10 million for Time Warner movies; kids would die.

    There it is Mr. Marsh. The most fashionable town in America contains some of the coldest hearts in the world.

    When I lived in Scottsdale, Arizona, I was stunned to find that the ghetto people had air conditioned homes. In Erie, PA at the time, THAT would be a luxury. Of course, Erie had furnaces for warmth in winter in every ghetto home, but it took me years to realize that was “normal” for both locations (Arizona ghettos are more in Phoenix than Scottsdale; Scottsdale would truly make your fashionable cut).

    As you can see, I have had extensive travel and living for long periods in a wide variety of locales. (Perhaps in our lifetime, we can share a moment in London, and you can be the Erie taxi driver showing me the best angles of town, eh?).

    Your opening line of Erie, PA being unfashionable hurt, needlessly so, when the whole story is viewed. For as I have outlined, I have found fashionable in the most unusual places on Earth, and, an absense of it where I expected to see it. You are correct in citing the world famous would not find suitable accoutrements and trappings in Erie, but you would be surprised to learn that 40 miles south in Meadville, PA, more millionaires reside than in any comparably sized town (it is a smidgen of Erie’s size, but the wealthy of Pittsburgh find it delightful).

    Given all of the above, I would hope that your coverage of GE stockholder meeting in April, 2008…in Erie, PA, could ethically stick with the stand you have found, and advanced, and now justified; yet, also note my position that all you found in Erie, exists in the most fashionable quarters of anywhere. To that end, we could use a great plug from you on the truth of the other view of Erie.
    Rarely can you combine a colder climate with warmer hearts.
    Ask our homeless; there is a reason they stay…
    (respect being paramount)

    You have responded to me with a justification of declaring Erie, PA “unfashionable”.
    I hope you can see from my perspective that the same is true of any community, even those in the highest echelons of fashion. Feel free to publish my entire letter as a response to your column, and as a way of compensating my community, for the international malignment that one word by you can create. Your stance is fair. Mine too.

    In all of the above travels, I have found a house to live in every location.
    In Erie, PA, I do not have a house; I have a home. A home of history, family, schoolmates, neighbors, traditions, ethnics, religious, and an internal stability of life that transcends a spinning globe. Should you ever tire of the fashionable parts of our planet, and find a need to tend to your heart, I welcome you to return to Erie, Pa and find that the things that count in life……
    are in abundance, in my backyard. I would love to show you them.

    Best Regards,

    Danny Lucas

    To be continued…..

14. Danny Lucas
    January 30th, 2008 at 5:51 pm

    The Unfashionable Town of Erie, Pennsylvania continues.

    International dialog is a grand avenue to seek and sort the truth. To that end, Mr. Peter Marsh of the Financial times of London, continues our conversation.
    It follows here:

    dear mr Lucas

    many thanks for your reply ..and various recollections . Anyway you seem to have fogiven me for my transgressions –I hope so! As I indicated, I quite liked Erie, from what I saw of it. I took a note of the various manufacturing companies which still seemed to be there and which (from the comments of the various people I met ) semed to be doing quite well.
    The names included Accuride, Erie Mill & Press, Reed Pipe Tools, McInnes (rolled pipes), Kendall (auto parts), Fraco (plastics), Lord (plastics), Lanson & Session plastics) .

    I thought that at some time, perhaps just before the GE meeting, I might phone some of them to get a view as to how manufacturing is doing in this corner of the US . (Manufacturing is the subject I cover.)
    Am I on the right track here? In other words, , is there a sense that this part of the economy (albeit unfashionable) is, indeed, doing ok in this
    unfashionable town? Or I am I being misguided?

    I also wondered if anyone has uncovered the identity of the anonymous donor who left Erie a fortune a few months ago. This was a big story — even in the UK.

    regards
    Peter Marsh

    I have taken the liberty to correct spelling in some words by both Mr. Marsh and mispelled by me too.

    The subject continues.

15. Peter Panepento
    January 30th, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    Danny:

    Thanks for sharing this interesting exchange. I’m writing a blog post to point readers to it so that they can see it themselves.

16. Danny Lucas
    January 30th, 2008 at 6:09 pm

    The Unfashionable Town of Erie, Pennsylvania continues.
    But a shift from original opinion slowly occurs.
    I believe that the shareholder meeting by GE in Erie will allow our community to gain world reknown and a clarification into why Erie, PA remains great.

    I’m aware of the sound-bite readers and urge you to skip the following if your daily reading intake is low calorie.
    My remark remains high in cholesterol; hopefully the good one.

    Following is Danny Lucas to Peter Marsh in London.

    Dear Mr. Marsh,

    Our backgrounds are similar. I have a history of sales to manufacturers and an insight into the region. I have sold maintenance and repair supplies throughout the Tri-State (PA,NY,OH) area.
    Additionally, I have sold oil and transmission fluids in New Jersey and East Pennsylvania. Finally, I have limited sales on the West Coast of the USA. I would be happy to share my thoughts on any of those areas in due time. First things first.

    The anonymous donor to Erie, PA philanthropy was indeed generous and world-wide news.
    The world also took note long after the fact. It must have been a slow news day; for the locals had long been aware of the donation and its ramifications. Finally, Yahoo News and others chimed in. I want you to note that in all of those stories, Erie once again got tainted, even in good news. There was talk of relief to the rust belt city of Erie, PA and hope for the outdated community.

    Please note that when we write of London over here, we rarely mention the “war ravaged, bombed out nemesis of Adolph” as a prelude, or portion, of any story on London. We love the Brits. Canadians too; London, Ontario is about 50 miles away as the crow flies.

    However, it is a rare local who is unaware of the donation origin. That donation was made on the premise of anonymity. The ethical character of this community has debated to tell or not to tell. It gives me great pride to announce that this town has honored the commitment to Anonymous and no one has revealed what everyone knows. You Brits have it; we call it character. The donation was anonymous, accepted as such, and the anonymous respected since. I would hope that any future reference to that story on your part contain two elements.

    First, the people of Erie maintain a deep dignity and pride in keeping their word.

    Second, there is a very wealthy person in the “unfashionable” town of Erie, PA
    (despite your observation to the contrary) who believes that an investment of $100,000,000.00 in this town is the greatest way they could perform their version of philanthropy.

    Given choices such as aids, cancer, (also to find its final cure in Erie, PA under the auspices of Mr. John Kansius—-check it out, he has cancer and the cure) and more, this wealthy donator decided to “put back” into the community. That alone deserves a second look at Erie, PA, dont you think? They shall remain anonymous despite who you ask.
    THAT is the type of people we are. A deal is a deal.

    Manufacturing on the West Coast (Portland, OR and Seattle corridor) is as vibrant as any sector of the world. Think Boeing and Microsoft headquarters alone. They can not hire people fast enough out west. I was surprised a year ago to find old competitors in Erie, PA such as Fastenal and MSC, Inc. thriving out west. MSC tends to be more East Coast; however, Fastenal is a distributor of maintenance and repair supplies, the very guts of manufacturing. They have opened 17 locations in the greater Portland area alone. Florida locations are blooming too and who ever heard of manufacturing down there?

    I recommend a good source for your research:
    http://www.hoovers.com

    I was baffled to find Fastenal with $1.8 billion sales and MSC with $1.6 billion sales.
    I asked Fastenal why they need 10,000 employees to obtain a paltry $200 million more in sales than the 3,300 employees at MSC. Apparently, productivity is a problem for the Minnesota based firm of Fastenal.
    Fastenal waffled a response, but Hoovers will help you get the truth if you look.

    I returned to Erie last year and investigated MSC as they needed a Branch Manager.
    A growing deafness makes a need for career change paramount on my part. Yet, MSC in Erie has never had a better, more profitable time than now. I found that absolutely amazing for when I did sales locally years ago, Hammermill, Van deKamp Foods, American Sterilizer, Zurn Corporation, Johnson Controls, Copes-Vulcan, and dozens more firms were customers. None exist today in this town.

    The reasons for disappearance of each are unique and varied.
    But, look into Eriez Magnetics for international sales. Try Logistics Plus in town (Jim Berlin is the owner). GMBH is the owner of Thomas-Erie, Inc in nearby Girard, PA (metal stamping, they make the top of aerosol cans),
    Snap-Tite (brass couplings), Lord Corporation
    (bonds rubber to metal, a military necessity), Erie Forge (you want a submarine propeller?),
    Penn Union (electrical connectors for transformers and lines), well,…I could easily name dozens more.

    All of the above firms are doing fine and GE is lamenting their inability to staff (particularly engineers). They have 200 openings and received but 50 applications. The Millenial generation and youth do not WANT a career in this sector, necessarily. It has been ballyhooed as declining since steel mills in Pittsburgh began to close in the 80’s. That emphasis in the media has led young folks to seek different career choices; high tech and medical being high on the list.

    There can be no denying manufacturing has declined here. There can be no denying manufacturing is alive and well too. GE gets 21 cents of every dollar of profit making choo-choo’s in town; they could locate anywhere in the world but stay here. Moreover, the chief competitor Electro Motive is across the great lake in Canada and can not compete!
    How about that?

    Erie is undergoing a metamorphasis and diversification. If Kansius truly unlocks cancer cure, this town will lock on worldwide cancer research (he uses radio waves to kill cancer cells but do no damage to nearby cells; Kansius has already done this in animals and is in recent medical journals).
    Autos are bigger deals in the USA than Europe as a function of space. New York State alone is bigger than all of France in area. People get around as individuals, except in large cities like Philadelphia, Washington, New York, etc., where public transportation is feasable.

    Look at your maps too. Erie is at the foothill of the Appalachian mountains to the East. Flatland stretches all the way to Colorado until the Rockies give rise. Water traffic is a huge plus here as entry to Lake Erie (as well as viable fresh water not found down South) lets international commerce go easily through the Lakes and St. Laurence, or west to Chicago and more.

    We do not live on Lake Detroit, or Lake Cleveland, or Lake Buffalo. We live on Lake ERIE and the world would do well to understand why that is so, despite all of those communities residing on the same lake.

    I must go back a few years to help you view the pattern of change underway.
    After World War II, the USA largely rebuilt our prior enemies of Germany and Japan.
    Those nations were ravaged by war; rebuilt by us with the most modern of facilities for manufacturing. This is unprecedented in history to rebuild an enemy to that degree.

    The USA flourished largely as the only undamaged area of the world. Further, our Military Industrial Complex has an appetite for manufactured goods.
    We neglected to update our own facilities and eventually we became uncompetitive in scale. Our 4 story buildings from 1900 were competing with same story modern mills of Japan. So long steel industry.

    But note this well. Had the USA steel folks put out a ton of steel onto the market at precisely the same price as the Japanese, we would lose anyway due to unfair exchange rates. The Yen killed us. China is doing precisely the same to the entire world at this very moment.
    Their quality leaves much to be desired, but it still sells. That is monetary policy gone awry.

    Taxation (your own VAT is not user friendly to us), Monetary Policy, Greed, Offshore Corporate Headquarters, the Iraq War draining funds for infrastructure at home, and a host of variables are at work on a macro scale. The Fallacy of Composition is well underway in destroying the economies of many countries as we speak.

    Erie is attempting to diversify in order to transform life from the past as largely manufacturing, to a life in the future of ANYTHING you may desire to do. Now,….how “unfashionable” will that look soon?

    I would like to expand on our conversation here in order that the truth of our community finally receive the attention that our Cheery Erie already knows…..we are the comeback kings of the world and anyone who misses it, misses out. I look forward to telling you more another day.

    Best Regards,
    Danny Lucas

    To be continued………

17. Jack Tirak
    January 30th, 2008 at 7:48 pm

    Danny Lucas…Erie’s first Ambassador.

18. George Vietze
    January 30th, 2008 at 7:51 pm

    “we are the comeback kings of the world and anyone who misses it, misses out.!”

    What a breath of fresh air!

    My hat is off to Danny Lucas.

    Thank you for representing your community well.

19. Dale
    January 30th, 2008 at 8:44 pm

    A most eloquent apologetic for the people and the City of Erie! Well said, Danny Lucas.

20. Ian Enterline
    January 30th, 2008 at 10:38 pm

    Go Danny Lucas!!! Though I disagree with the Iraq War draining infrastructure funds, that’s not the federal government’s job to begin with

21. Dan Rapela
    January 31st, 2008 at 7:59 am

    Very interesting to hear comments about Erie from a complete outsider. Most of the people who comment on this blog have ties to Erie. Most of us have childhood memories, family and friends who live there, and general good times when we visit. What if we step outside those associations and approach the subject as an outsider like Peter Marsh? If we had only visited Erie once and had a choice to live in any city in the US, would we still pick Erie? Not to be a pessimist, but I suspect some of our opinions would change.

22. Joe Erie
    January 31st, 2008 at 11:15 am

    We all appreciate the positive outlook and words of Mr. Lucas. However, the bottom line is, Erie is seen as an “unfashionable”, “behind-the-times” city. And, though I love the place, in many ways, these descriptions hold true. We have a lot of work to do. We have been resistant to change, which has prolonged our emergence from a wholly manufacturing-based economy.

    Erie possesses very little of what many people consider to be the finer, or “fashionable”, things in life. We do not have a cosmopolitan, urban center city (we took care of that in the 60s and 70s). Rather, we have a plethora of empty lots, boarded-up storefronts on our major streets, numerous dollar discount stores, vacant buildings, drive-thru banks and fast food establishments, etc. Is downtown Erie better than it was 20-30 years ago? Yes, but we have A LOT of work to do.

    One also has to recognize that much larger cities in the region, such as Cleveland and Pittsburgh, which offer much more in terms of “fashion”, suffer from the same descriptions.

23. Danny Lucas
    January 31st, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    There comes a time when every generation must turn over the reigns to a newer generation. Sometimes, a tear comes to the eye of the oldster, as the youngster lets go of what was held dear before.

    You may recall an old tv ad picturing a Native American Indian viewing the countryside. As he glances toward the tv front screen, a solitary tear runs down his face.
    WE had polluted his land that he held dear in his heart.
    Imagine crying over a polluted planet!

    When I was a kid and raised on 2nd St., between Sassafras and Myrtle, I had the 2nd floor bedroom and my transistor radio faced the lake. The music of CKLW, a Detroit MoTown radio station, bounced across the waves of Lake Erie and into my ears (my ears worked back then). I can sing every word of every song of Little Anthony and the Imperials.

    Ipod kids would laugh their heads off at the antiquity.
    But take just one song for a moment here:
    “I’m On The Outside Lookin In”.

    When you read these words, do not view a broken relationship and the lament to be together again…..
    after having left and wanting to come back.

    Read this song as an Erie person, especially if you are Outside Erie and you wanna be, and you wanna be back on the inside…..with you (Erie).

    Here is Little Anthony speaking truths in the new Millenia from about 44 years ago:

    I’m On the Outside (Looking In)
    Little Anthony and the Imperials
    Written by Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein

    Peaked at # 15 in 1964

    (wee-ooh-ooh)
    (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
    (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)

    I’m on the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
    An’ I wanna be, an’ I wanna be back on the inside wi-ith you
    You are with somebody new and I don’t know what to do
    ’cause I’m still in love with you (in love with you)

    I’m on the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
    I don’ wanna be, I don’ wanna be left on the outside all alone
    Well, I guess I’ve had my day and you left me go my way
    Now it’s me who has to pay-ay-ay

    I never should have gone away, I never should have gone away a-and left you like I did
    (hoop-woo-ooh)
    With tears in your ey-e-e-e-e-e-e-s
    (hoop-woo-ooh)
    I thought you’d take me back
    But now, to my surprise (to my surprise)

    On the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
    Gotta find a way, gotta find a way back to your heart, dear, once again
    Won’t you take me back again? I’ll be waiting here till then
    On the outside looking in (ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)

    Won’t you take me back again? I’ll be waiting here till then
    On the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh)
    (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
    On the outside looking in (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
    Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,

    —-looking in
    (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
    I don’ wanna be, I don’ wanna be, I don’ wanna be looking in
    FADE

    ___________________________________________________

    My God the music still haunts. I can hear every inflection of this Frankie Valli like voice (he of the Four Seasons).
    Say, that would be a great moniker for marketing Erie anew….The Four Seasons!

    Few people appreciate what they have…..until they no longer have it. By then, it is often too late to reclaim.
    She is with somebody new
    And I don’t know what to do

    THIS is happening to our town.
    Erie is with somebody new. |
    Our newer residents.
    Our youth.
    Our growing homeless.
    Our changing careers and workplaces.
    Our churches trying to regain viability.

    And we don’t know what to do;
    but we’re still in love with you (Erie).

    Global Erie does just like Little Anthony.
    You’re On The Outside Lookin In.

    Get this! So is the rest of the world!
    I laughed the other day when a group of outsiders took a pledge to never again malign Erie. My first thought was “Well, that is 6 people; now, we only need to reach 290,000 more”.

    Mr. Marsh held his view in his opening story.
    Mr. Marsh justified it in a subsequent post above.

    But please note the subtle change in his next post.
    He is listening to what is being said. He notes that he feels “fogiven”. Indeed, for the first time, Mr. Marsh takes it even further:

    “Anyway you seem to have fogiven me for my transgressions –I hope so! As I indicated, I quite liked Erie, from what I saw of it.”

    Read that again! This is a well known world-wide author speaking of our town positively, now that he is On The Outside Lookin In.

    “I quite liked Erie from what I saw of it”

    THAT is a huge change from the blurb : Unfashionable Town of Erie, Pennsylvania. I feel the entire world can be changed just as easily, if we try.

    I hope to explore more of what he saw, and more of what he quite liked. It is time for all of us to relate to the world, what we quite like in what we see here….or from the outside, lookin in.

24. George Vietze
    February 1st, 2008 at 12:21 am

    Danny Lucas, represnts the essence of Erie. Some of us have lived in places some would call “fashionable”, I have lived in Boston, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Newport Beach California and just permanently moved to the Erie area from San Diego. I just traded my Lexus for a Nissan-Xterra (off-road 4wD). It is going to be difficult to explain to many people why I moved to this area. I could not begin to say it clearer than Danny Lucas has laid it out for all of us to read. Some will understand and some will not, those of you who do not, no amount of explanation will make it clear. I feel, in time, most of you will know. You live in a very special area. I am amazed when locals consider more than a 10 minute comute an inconvenience or comment on the amount of traffic on Peach Street. Your weekly summertime concerts, the ability to shut down State Street, in the middle of downtown, to all traffic and have a festival. Not in Boston, Phoenix, certainly not Newport Beach where if you do not drive a Mercedes no one will hardly speak to you, a place where plastic surgeons and attorneys dominate the area (no offense meant to either occupation) but plastic people continually sueing each other is really not a place to bond. I never said Erie was for everyone, thank God it is not, but for the most part, my experience has been there are a lot of people like Danny Lucas that if you ring their bell you will find out where there heart is. I am looking forward to driving back in my new Xterra
    and feeling good about the kind of “fashion” that really matters, look around, maybe “You can see clearly now,—
    those of you who remember, it is a line from another 50’s song……..

25. Danny Lucas
    February 2nd, 2008 at 9:19 pm

    The death of a great friend brought all else in life to a stop. Priorities are easy to manage in Erie.

    In wading through a lot of material to “catch up”,
    I am impressed with a new source of information available to all of us. I believe one story to be inaccurate; however, the thrust of the rest will help overcome the oversight.

    I expect to communicate with Mr. Marsh, not just to take a second look at Erie, PA. My objective is to have him rooting and applauding internationally about Erie, PA.
    We are not well marketed; I think I will take a stab at it.

    I need help.
    I see a new avenue and resource available and I am seeking out their management (posted within).

    Read http://www.erielifemagazine.com in its premier issue of February 2008.

    I need a bunch of copies of this magazine.
    It appears the top honcho is Rena Tran.
    Rena, help me get a pile of your magazines asap. I will promote you as well as the community and kill two birds with one stone. If you are ok on this, I will stop by your noted address and introduce myself. First copy is a keeper for me. Second goes to Mr. Peter Marsh in London.
    The balance of copies….well, I have an idea!

    For the rest of your Erie Life type folks, click on the link above and check it out (I read a hard copy issue).
    Order a subscription while you are there.

    Rena, let’s gab a bit.

26. Danny Lucas
    February 16th, 2008 at 7:40 pm

    A little time has passed since we looked at what people on the Outside Lookin In have to say about us. I have located another little venue that allows anyone in or out of Erie to be a “fly on the ceiling”. You can listen in on several topics or even contribute (especially when a correction to an obvious error is needed).

    I have chosen to start with

    ERIE-THE GOOD AND THE BAD

    I am starting with page 6 and recommend you glimpse like a “fly” at Investrman (11/18/07) and his long term view and comments. I found his to be relatively revealing to those who have yet to venture far from Erie and have scant insight into what we REALLY have in the Gem City.

    See for yourself.

    http://www.city-data.com/forum/pennsylvania/178952-erie-good-bad-6.html