Court ruling, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[ohiostorm]

Team certainly sucks but their time will come once again. I hope Mike Cuban and Dan Marino get the offer to buy the team. They will turn around the franchise. We did have the All- Star Game and a beautiful stadium!!

They are trying to buy the Penguins, not the Pirates.

They are interested in the Pirates as well.

[tomboudreau]

tom, did you go downtown for any of the All Star festivities??

No, we didnt go downtown for any of the All-Star game festivities. We stayed far and clear of the city Sunday night through most of Tuesday. Around the 3rd inning during the game, I suggested, lets for a ride into the city and see what its like. So the three of us (wife, dog, and myself) pile into the car and off we go. We drove around the ball park a couple of times, stopped on the 10th street bypass to look at the festivities. We tried to get a few some pictures, but none of the pictures came out good. We got home around the 7th inning and watched the rest of the game.

[ohiostorm]

I was stuck at the airport through most of it. Got to see quite a few people coming in. Airport was the busiest I've seen it in months.

[Pburgh]

tom, I stayed clear too. I think the city did a great job of showing off for all the visitors though. You're pretty brave to drive in!!!!

ohio, I heard the airport was a nightmare the morning after!!! Were you there??

[tomboudreau]

Brave...yes. Stupid...yes. But to be honest with you, there was almost no actual car traffic on the streets during the middle of the game. The few cars that we did see were doing the same thing that we were, sight seeing. If we didnt have the dog with us, we probalby would of found some place to stash the car and get out and walk around a bit. It was an absolutly amazing to see all the people over at the stadium. The city did a great job hosting the all-star game. The city put a great foot forward, now its time for the Pirates to do the samething and put a winning product on the field.

When I went to work on Monday, I stayed cleared of the airport, as Dick's corporate office is one exit from the airport. I went all backroads to the office. I'm glad I did because others were saying traffic was really heavy heading in.

[Pburgh]

Dicks!!!! Does that mean I can get discounted golf balls from you????? jk We just need for them to put some $$$$$$ out there for the Pirates. Hope they do. I used to work on the west side of the Burgh. Montour has some great back roads if you went that way.

[SouthFloridawx]

Dicks!!!! Does that mean I can get discounted golf balls from you????? jk We just need for them to put some $$$$$$ out there for the Pirates. Hope they do. I used to work on the west side of the Burgh. Montour has some great back roads if you went that way.

Yeah please Pittsburgh has one of the lowest player salaries in Baseball.

[ohiostorm]

I wasn't at the airport till that afternoon. I heard it was a mess and there were traffic delays as well. Security lines were long too. Nothing you can do about it though. Was busy all day!

[tomboudreau]

Dicks!!!! Does that mean I can get discounted golf balls from you????? jk We just need for them to put some $$$$$$ out there for the Pirates. Hope they do. I used to work on the west side of the Burgh. Montour has some great back roads if you went that way.

Yeah, I work for Dick's at their Corporate Office. I'm work as a member of their Help Desk. I wish we got a discount on Golf Balls. Its one of the few things we dont get discounts on. Well, its off to the ball park again for another night of sweating in my seat. Hopefully, they can win two in a row! Its a cheap evening to go to the ball park, espically when you sit in the $9 section. No seat is a bad seat in the park. Cooler is packed with 8 bottles of water.

[Pburgh]

tom, have fun. You're going to sweat your a$$ off but I hope it will be worth it!!! You are really a dedicated fan!!!! Believe it or not, I've never been to the new stadium. Some of my customers keep offering me tickets and I give them to others. I'll have to go when it get cooler!!!! Not today - I've been working in my flower gardens and am soaking wet!!! Time to come into the AC again and get some steaks ready for the grill.

ohio, I don't think anything could have been done except to find more cabs and limos for the trek to the airport. Security is security and our airport is great at it.

[ohiostorm]

tom, have fun. You're going to sweat your a$$ off but I hope it will be worth it!!! You are really a dedicated fan!!!! Believe it or not, I've never been to the new stadium. Some of my customers keep offering me tickets and I give them to others. I'll have to go when it get cooler!!!! Not today - I've been working in my flower gardens and am soaking wet!!! Time to come into the AC again and get some steaks ready for the grill.

ohio, I don't think anything could have been done except to find more cabs and limos for the trek to the airport. Security is security and our airport is great at it.

Our airport is definately top notch when it comes to alot of things, including security. They opened an alternate security checkpoint in the old "E Gates" earlier in the year. Has been a great success. This week was the first time I have seen lines backed up for months. The airport works hard at being the best in the country as far as passenger satisfaction.

[Pburgh]

We are definitely "the best". Good job ohio!!!!!! Plus the courtesy and friendship that you get in the Burgh is terrific. We are absolutely know for making lifelong friends even in the grocery isles in Pittsburgh!!!!

[ohiostorm]

The best we are!!! Pittsburgh International wins awards every year. Just sucks that US Airways pulled all their flights out of such a nice airport.

[tomboudreau]

Woohoo! 2 nights in a row...2 wins in a row. It wasnt that bad tonight in the stadium. Game time temp was around 80 degrees, but it dropped all night long. It felt like the humidity broke pretty good this evening. It was actually comfortable to sit through 9 innings. Everyone in my section thought for sure we were heading to extra innings tonight, but those battling Bucco's came through in the 9th and won it! This was the 2nd time ever that I wasn't in nose bleed heaven. Usually, we sit up in the upper deck, but tonight since I went by myself, I sat down on the first base line, just a mere 10 yards from the playing field. But the best seats that I have ever had at the park was the night my department had Dick's luxuary box! Thats one sweet spot to sit. I'm hoping to get the box another night this season, if there are no events taking place one night. Need to send an email up to the executive's security to find out when they have tickets available.

I have a feeling come Monday night, it wont be as comfortable to sit inside the park. Temps are going to hover in the mid 90's it looks like for most of the afternoon. I'm definately going to be sweating my arse off that night.

[Pburgh]

ohio, it's a tax thing. I moved here from West Virginia and can't believe the taxes in Allegheny County!!!! tom can verify that fact!

tom, you are one of the most avid Bucco fans I have ever met. My Granny was just like you. She'd sit my the radio or TV with her iced coffee and peanuts and listen to every game. When she had her 90th birthday, they announced her name over TV and radio as one of the oldest and best fans. She was so cute!!

[tomboudreau]

To show you how much of a fan I am, I bought the Major League Baseball package that I can listen to the games over the Internet. So, when the games aren't on TV or if I'm at work, I can put the game on and listen to it. Just need to get out of this jam they are in right now in the 11th, and hopefully they can get the sweep.

I really have nothing to say about the taxes. I only moved into the county last April, so for me, they have always been 7%. It doesnt really bother me. The school and property taxes are all rolled into the mortage of the house.

[ohiostorm]

Yeah Alleghany taxes are alot higher. Its not the taxes really the made US Airways move, its the fact that PIT has the highest landing fees out of any other airport they fly to. So it was cheaper for them to move to the horrible airport in Philly. Here is an example of the landing fees PIT has compared to Charlotte..

this is based per person.. number may be a bit off now.

PIT almost $12
Charlotte around $1.50

If the airport authority would lower their landing fees, the airport would sell itself. Airlines would love to make PIT their home. Its way too nice and passenger friendly to sit there half empty all the time.

[Pburgh]

Are the landing fees high at PIT because of the taxes the airport is required to pay to Allegheny County?? I don't know but $10.50 per person is a BIG difference. I know I've only lived in Pa. for about 8 years and our taxes in West Virginia were sooooo much lower. tom, mine are rolled up into my mortgage too but I am still required to pay a 1% wage tax. There is a sign on Rt 910 that says "Vote the bums out." When I write those checks for taxes, I'm inclined to agree. I'd prefer to have everything, even groceries, taxed at 7%.

[ohiostorm]

Beaver and other surrounding counties have lower tax rates then Alleghany. I'm not sure if the airports landing fees are higher because of higher taxes or to pay off the cost of the new terminal. Or maybe the airport authority is gready!