Pittsburgh Brainers

Newsweek gets it again.

It publishes the top ranking Green companies, just like TIME magazine Person of the Year, or US News & World Report

Best Universities ranking.

There is also a piece about Pittsburgh, a bounced back city, where the G-20 meeting is going to be held.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/215984

Pittsburgh was to a lot of people, the city of the Steelers, of Deer Hunters (Robert De Niro).

I went with the Penn State Choir to perform there in 1977. Mahler symphony number 5, conducted by Andre Previn

and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Quite an experience, and quite cold.

The audience were old money society, inherited from the smokestack days (the companies then wouldn’t make Newsweek’s list today).

I had Thanksgiving dinner there at a friend’s house as well. Nice people.

And within a span of 30 some years, the city has reinvented itself, like a phoenix,  risen from the ashes (of steel mills).

Pitts dropped off the Boss’ list (of  lost jobs and way of life in industrial America.)

The Arts scene is still there. And the football team is still there. And at some point,  the Universities saw the inflection point: change or die.

I am sure Pitts, although “it takes a village”  in Hillary’s term, won’t look back for fear of turning into stone. So are other cities:  Chicago schools offer Chinese language classes while Standford students can pick sushi or Pho in their menu.

American might not travel much abroad (or anywhere this year – translation: low emission), but overseas are coming at their doorsteps this week (UN summit on the environment).

Newsweek gets it again, and timely so. Just as it did some 20 years back about the new work place trend, called Flex-firm.

I suggest the football team brainstorm for a new name, more clean tech and 21st century iconic. How about….

Pittsburgh Brainers???