Personal worst things about Chicago (Stockton, Time: 2013, elementary schools, calculation)

[jwuk45]

I don't mind a small 80s TV in a bar playing some old Kung Fu/gangster/avant garde VHS tapes. Been to a couple of dive/hipster bars that have that. If they're 50" TVs just playing sports it can spoil the atmosphere a bit though, and can be distracting. I'd say only half the bars I go to in Orlando have TVs, and some of them will either be playing a cool movie or videos of whatever songs are playing. It's quite nice to have one behind the bar so if you're there on your own you can look like you're doing something and not just staring at their range of liquor/the barmaid's cleavage. But y'know, be creative, stick in a DVD of some old movie or something, not everyone wants to watch the Cubs losing.

[UPChicago]

Originally Posted by TBideon

I hate hearing about shootings and murders every day. We get used to it somewhat, but this isn't common in most big cities. Not to this degree.

The panhandlers downtown also get on my nerves, especially by the Chicago red line. When they're walking with you and you can't shake them, you run low of options.

Also people who cry about racism nonstop; there's an above average number of them in this city - many of whom have made careers about it - and they choose those battles over things like crime and bad schools. For instance the schools' closing issue - how in the world can a person with above-retarded intelligence make a claim that these are racist decisions by the city and school boards.

I'm sure it would be perceived differently if the majority of the schools closing weren't located in minority neighborhoods. Is it in-fact motivated by race? Maybe not. Closing under-performing schools is understandable but of course when the schools are underfunded they probably aren't going to perform well in the first place........

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by UPChicago

I'm sure it would be perceived differently if the majority of the schools closing weren't located in minority neighborhoods. Is it in-fact motivated by race? Maybe not. Closing under-performing schools is understandable but of course when the schools are underfunded they probably aren't going to perform well in the first place........

Although I support the decisions made to shut down the schools in places like the South Side, I can see where some people would jump to conclusions and say that it was "racist" to do so.

But the cold hard truth, is that the South and West sides have been seriously depopulated, and it is simple economics to want to close the schools in neighborhoods that now have smaller populations.

Personnally, I appluad the closing of the schools; we need to basically "rip-and-replace" these failed neighborhoods.

[UPChicago]

Originally Posted by Link N. Parker

Although I support the decisions made to shut down the schools in places like the South Side, I can see where some people would jump to conclusions and say that it was "racist" to do so.

But the cold hard truth, is that the South and West sides have been seriously depopulated, and it is simple economics to want to close the schools in neighborhoods that now have smaller populations.

Personnally, I appluad the closing of the schools; we need to basically "rip-and-replace" these failed neighborhoods.

I agree with you but I quoted that post because it's really not hard to ask that question all things considered.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by jwuk45

I don't mind a small 80s TV in a bar playing some old Kung Fu/gangster/avant garde VHS tapes. Been to a couple of dive/hipster bars that have that.

Simone's, per chance?

Originally Posted by jwuk45

If they're 50" TVs just playing sports it can spoil the atmosphere a bit though, and can be distracting.

For sure. I personally love Simone's with its one TV showing random B movies, Honky Tonk with its one TV that is almost never on, and Skylark with its zero TVs. Unfortunately I have a friend who doesn't consider it to be a proper bar unless it has a wall of TVs showing every possible sporting event occurring on the planet at that moment.

[jwuk45]

Those are ones in Orlando I'm talking about (it's a lot less of a "sport" city), but I'll definitely check out Simone's.

[LittleMartha]

Originally Posted by UPChicago

I'm sure it would be perceived differently if the majority of the schools closing weren't located in minority neighborhoods. Is it in-fact motivated by race? Maybe not. Closing under-performing schools is understandable but of course when the schools are underfunded they probably aren't going to perform well in the first place........

Aren't over 85% of CPS students black and Hispanic? How could those populations not be affected?

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by LittleMartha

Aren't over 85% of CPS students black and Hispanic? How could those populations not be affected?

Yes, good point.

[UPChicago]

Originally Posted by LittleMartha

Aren't over 85% of CPS students black and Hispanic? How could those populations not be affected?

That's a valid point, now I would like to see what percentage of CPS schools are servicing the 8% white population versus what percentage are servicing brown students, wonder if it's an even spread.......

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by UPChicago

That's a valid point, now I would like to see what percentage of CPS schools are servicing the 8% white population versus what percentage are servicing brown students, wonder if it's an even spread.......

I don't understand your question.