Posted on 07/10/2007 7:42:23 PM PDT by Sicvee
I was watching the All-Star game and I turned away as they were following some stupid dog in McCovey Pond, meanwhile missing Ichiro's inside the park home run. Did they really follow the dog while they were pitching to Ichiro, or is it my fault I missed it? Anyhow I wanted to make a list of the top ten most influential cities in the US, to promote discussion. There shouldn't be much argument about the top 4. But the rest may be worth discussion. And I don't have an axe to grind, because I'm 80 miles from Seattle and 110 from Portland, both lovely places, liberal strongholds, and of not much import in the greater scheme. Anyhow here's my list and the reasons:
1. Washington--the most important decisions are made here. 2. New York--except for the money decisions--they are made here before Washington. 3. Chicago--the money, for the whole central USA 4. Los Angeles--for Hollywood and the lifestyle things 5. San Francisco--Bank of America, Silicon Valley, unofficial capitol of the West, freaking liberal culture 6. Dallas--so much power in Texas, centered here 7. Boston--political influence beyond its size 8. Miami--for the extent that its power extends into Latin America, rather than north into this country. 9. Atlanta--capitol of the South 10. Philadelphia--biggest of the rest, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, I'm running out of reasons.
Atlanta is the capital of it’s own snottyness. Birmingham and Atlanta used to compete for the title of capital of the South, in their own minds, even though people in the ports viewed them as Johnny Come Lately’s. The only reason Birmingham went one way and Atlanta went the other is because Birmingham turned down Hartsfield. The developers initially thought Birmingham was a better location for that airport because most of the region’s financial industry was focused there. But, Birmingham leaders thought it would upset things so they gave it to Atlanta, which actually, was to a degree, and overglorified mill town that owed alot to being the location of the GA State Capitol.
I think this would have been better if they broke it down by state and region. San Francisco may be very influential out west, but, down here, other than rice-a-roni, I can’t really say how San Francisco influences my daily life. There are about 150 metro areas that dictate our nation’s life, and they didn’t even come close to touching on that.
Two words...Bella Pelosi.
No, they showed Ichiro’s homer “live.” I was on the phone with my Dad at the time, and I think there was a 5 second delay between my antenna reception and his cable reception...
‘scuse me,
but sf lost bank of america to north carolina.
it was called a bank “merger”, but it was more like a coup.
now, sf has left wells fargo. when minnesota northern bank and trust bought it out, sf insisted that wf remain in sf.
If you include Silicon Valley and the computer/software makers with S.F. - it becomes very influential.
>>I think this would have been better if they broke it down by state and region. San Francisco may be very influential out west, but, down here, other than rice-a-roni, I can’t really say how San Francisco influences my daily life. There are about 150 metro areas that dictate our nation’s life, and they didn’t even come close to touching on that.<<
The Bay Area is the source of much of the corporate and technical innovation in this country.
There is more than one “bay area”. And yes, I am aware of all of that, but that’s just because where that happened to located. You know, alot of technical innovation comes out of the Triangle area and Huntsville too. San Francisco is definitely a regional center, but the Triangle had something to do with the tech boom too, as did Huntsville.
And that’s the whole point, this country is too big to just pick out 10 cities and say, these are the big enchiladas. California is an important financial center, but so is Charlotte. I’m saying that there are places that contribute alot to this country, but they never get recognition because people always fawn over places like San Francisco.
“If you include Silicon Valley and the computer/software makers with S.F. - it becomes very influential.’
But should you? San Jose passed SF in population ten years ago, and is the capital of Silicon Valley. SF is on a penisula with nowhere to go for growth. That’s why real estate is so high there and parking impossible.
San Francisco isn’t so influential outside the northwest.
“... 6. Dallas—so much power in Texas, centered here...”
Are they talking about the Dallas Cowboys?
I think I might have to add Charlotte and San Jose to your list.
Houston should be ranked before Dallas. It's a much more International city which is the energy capital of the USA, has the largest medical center in the USA, and is home to NASA.
Dallas today is just another city in the DFW Metroplex. With Arlington getting the Cowboys, that area is going to start becoming the center of the metro area, while Dallas continues to decline.
Elaborate to us non-Texans.
The “San Francisco Bay Metropolitan Area” includes San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland and surrounding cities and counties. It is the metropolitan area with the highest per capita income and the highest median income in the US.
1 Exxon Mobil Irving
2 ConocoPhillips Houston
3 Valero Energy San Antonio
4 Marathon Oil Houston
5 Dell Round Rock
DFW influence will continue to rise due to gas drilling/extraction on the Barnett Shale
There are more energy companies (oil/gas, seismice, oil field service) concentrated in Houston than in Dallas. You are looking at only the largest oil & gas companies. You need to consider medium size companies and the whole spectrum of energy related companies.
I posted that survey for information purposes - particularly b/c the top corps were all in different cities. However, I do think the influx of $$ in N.TX will increase influence.
More spending power by consumers will spur projects, enhancements, etc. Small localities are trying to figure out how to spend their "found" money.
Would be interested in the figures for Houston vs. Dallas (or DFW Metro) if you have them.
I guess I was not sure of the point you were trying to make? Take ExxonMobil for instance, their HQs are in Irving but most all of their R&D is here in Houston.
I think we are discussing financial impact of these cities. I haven't done the research, nor fully understand what factors constitute an "influential" city.
Regardless, TX has the most fortune 500 companies of any state.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.