We are LUCKY Chicagoans (Alpha, Cleveland: best city, universities, live)

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by thebizkit

But its hard make the argument that it wasn't devastating on the image of Chicago as a whole. 518 murders after 3 years of declining numbers is never good for business, especially when crime around the country is declining.

Right, but an overall declining trend rarely means a decline EVERY SINGLE YEAR. It's the overall trend that concerns me, and anyone who looks at data rationally, not little year-to-year discrepancies. If we had three years of increases after three years of declines, particularly if we had large increases that took us back to 1990s levels (rather than just taking us back 3 or 4 years, which in reality is all that actually happened last year), it would be appropriate for us to be very concerned. A fluke year defying the trend here and there is going to happen, though. It's worth examining, but not even remotely worth "OMG MURDER CAPITAL OMG OMG!!!!1" headlines.

[marothisu]

^ And that's what 2012 was (and i believe 2003 or 2004?) for the most part. The new police chief predicted that there would be a spike actually because it was a "changing of the guards" if you will. Chicago in that regard is a hell of a lot better now than it was in the early 90s overall.

[thefallensrvnge]

I definitely think Chicago is one of the great cities in the world. Of course, improvement should always be a goal. This city has it's fair share of scars, but I am always impressed by how beautiful it is just when walking around. The food, theaters, museums, the variety of people... So much of Chicago seems to be carved out of stone, and built with such grandeur. I love showing it off to friends. Even when visiting some of the more blight areas, I can't help but notice that if the politicians (and/or the people who elect them) took more of a genuine interest, Chicago's potential would be unlimited.

And marothisu, I don't think anyone would doubt your love for this city lol.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by thefallensrvnge

And marothisu, I don't think anyone would doubt your love for this city lol.

LOL, yeah. Point is, as much as I love it, I don't think it is the greatest, or even top 10. It's up there somewhere, but not TOPS. I think a lot of people who say it's the greatest or top 3 haven't traveled much around the world. That's just me though.

[thefallensrvnge]

^^"Greatest" doesn't bother me too much. I guess from living in other parts of the Midwest, I'm used to some areas being so self-deprecating. Though opinions on Chicago can be polarized.

Now "world capital" gets under my skin. I've been able to travel abroad enough to know this world has many capitals.

[Jesse69]

Houston has better jobs, better pay, low traffic if you're driving from the right place, better fast food, better grocery shopping, and no winter. It doesn't have good public transportation, it's not easy to drive around because it's not a grid, it has expensive electricity + very hot summers, the museums aren't as good, but in all I'd rather live in Houston except that it's also hurricane prone. You can't get a Chicago gyro in Houston.

Chicago's museums are expensive to visit. Chicago's hot summer is brief but winter sucks and the salts rust out your vehicle. Companies are getting cheap with pay and rents are somewhat expensive in a good part of town. Shopping and fast food is just adequate. But I'm stuck in Chicago being unemployed and no one else lives at home when mom is gone. But Chicago has more interesting neighborhood shopping.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by marothisu

LOL, yeah. Point is, as much as I love it, I don't think it is the greatest, or even top 10.

I agree with this. I really love living here, but wouldn't put it on a top list of anything, other than largest cities in the U.S., or maybe "bang for your buck" type of cities. (With only a couple of exceptions, all the cities I like better than Chicago are more expensive.)

In fact, I cringe every time I see the video of Rahm at O'Hare customs calling Chicago "a world class city." Maybe we are and maybe we aren't (that's largely subjective), but it's worth noting that New York, Paris, and Hong Kong don't declare themselves world class, because they don't have to.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

Houston has better jobs, better pay, low traffic if you're driving from the right place, better fast food, better grocery shopping, and no winter.

Yeah, but it's still Houston.

Where is this "low traffic" area of Houston? Is the "right place" three blocks away at 4 AM?

[thebizkit]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

In fact, I cringe every time I see the video of Rahm at O'Hare customs calling Chicago "a world class city." Maybe we are and maybe we aren't (that's largely subjective), but it's worth noting that New York, Paris, and Hong Kong don't declare themselves world class, because they don't have to.

The very idea that NYC isn't self-aggrandizing is laughable.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by thebizkit

The very idea that NYC isn't self-aggrandizing is laughable.

It would indeed be laughable if I had said that.