Anyone home?!?! (Chicago: about, should, love)

[via chicago]

"Our viewers in New York and London may be surprised, but the reason we chose to start off our tour (of cities) in Chicago is that it is the financial Capital of the world."
~CNBC commentator

[j33]

source? Do have a link for that?

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by j33

source? Do have a link for that?

It was from an episode from CNBC's Powerlunch; they were taking the show on the road.

Now obviously, that point is highly debateable and Im not even sure I would agree with it. However, the Merc IS the largest financial exhange in the world, by a long shot. Try and wrap your head around this number: the Merc handles $250 TRILLION in futures contracts each YEAR (1.5 billion daily). wanna invest in them? their stock price is around $560 a pop. by comaprison the NYSE is selling for around 70 bucks.

It is the undisputed capital globally for futures/options, and now that the merger between CBOT/Merc has taken place, I wouldnt be all that surprised to see them try and acquire some NY stock exchanges to diversify. Turn the tables for a change.

My point was more that the average Joe tends sell Chicago short big time, while those "in the know" I think realize how important and powerful it really is.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by NYrules

I sometimes refer to Chicago as a mini NY on here because over all whether people on here want to admit it or not, it is.

Lets look at the facts, we have the same races of people here (huge African American population and Latino pop), the same grid-like street pattern, the same looking freeways/tollways/bridges (OLD!), the same two type baseball teams where part of the city likes one team and part likes the other, the same climate basically (cloudy and cold in the winter, hot and humid in the summer, nice falls, and due to the close proximity to water... changable springs), the same amount of crime when comparatively speaking in size, a similar cost of living when you factor in what someone makes in Chicago vs NY, a similar history of being built around the trade/commerce industry (NYC built more for ships, Chicago built more for rail in the 1800's) both cities are close in age (like 1790's???), have similar religion demographics, both are relatively conservative unlike the "where anything goes west coast", both cities have a HUGE Jewish and African American population, similar tax structure, similar public school system, similar ethinic foods, both had a HUGE mob presence years ago, need I go on?

All that said, it is sadly rather true, that if someone goes to NY, then they have basically done everything there is to do in Chicago. Lets face it folks, what is so unique here? Our Taste of Chicago? The fireworks on the 3rd, our bean, the music, our lake, the zoo, Great America, our tall buildings, the shopping, our food, the culture??? All of this NYC has... AND THEN SOME. I think if anything Chicago should be viewed from another stance and that is for anyone wanting to visit NYC and not spend TONS of money, come to Chicago, then you can say you pretty much experienced NYC.

Another thing I feel I should mention from what I have seen in the past 10 years; the longer Daley is in office having his way, he is going to do everything he can to turn us into another NY. Why? Because NY is VERY successful and UNBELIEVABLY RICH! Money flows there like water. I know from personal experience and thats just what the Daley machine ordered.

Well, if you want to look at it that way, Id have to disagree. The Cubs and White Sox are older than the Yankees and Mets, the Bears are older than the Jets and Giants, the Blackhawks are an Original 6 team like the Rangers... so technically, Chicago did those first, therefore NYC is "copying" (for lack of better terms) Chicago. Also, Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper so every building that is a skyscraper (basically most of NYC's skyline) can thank Chicago for being the first to engineer such a thing.

I will never say that Chicago is a NYC wanna-be. Chicago is as unique as NYC is, they just happen to be similar in many ways, which is a good thing because NYC is a great city. We're an important financial hub, transportation hub, etc, same as NYC. There's no copying anything, but companies, investors, etc, see a good thing in Chicago, and thats awesome! We're once again named the City of the Future for 2007, which speaks volumes about the city. We're also leading the nation in corporate relocations/projects to our area. The COL here is also lower than NYC which is another attraction for relocatees. And judging from the look of it (on this board alone), several people from NYC have moved here or are moving here because Chicago is indeed similar to NYC but offers just as much. So technically youre correct in saying that Chicago and NYC are similar, but in no way do I see Chicago as a NYC wannabe.

[Drover]

I don't usually get into debates about Chicago because:

a) Many negative opinions about Chicago are grounded in personal preference and there's no point in arguing those;

b) Many of the rants about Chicago (or any other city for that matter) in the General U.S. forums are and made by petty, argumentative, puerile, impetuous little twitbags with the emotional and intellectual caliber of children. In fact, many of them actually are children -- teenagers to be specific. There's a lot of childish behavior in the General U.S. forums, especially when specific cities/states/regions are pitted against each other for comparison/contrast. So I just steer clear of those threads. I don't need to defend my city against the impetuous attacks of brats who have no interest in hearing any other viewpoint but their own. I'd rather engage people who are capable of reason and rational discourse; it's likely to actually produce a thoughtful understanding of each other's positions.

[Steve-o]

I guess I dont know better then. lol

Just curious, how do you know some of them are teenagers? If thats the case, that explains EVERYTHING.

[j33]

If they aren't, then they are a bit, to borrow a southernism, 'touched' mentally. if you know what I mean.

[Drover]

Also, it's hard to argue against the "Ch1c4g0 1z t3h 5ux0rz LOL !!1!11!!one!1!one!11!" idiots without starting to sound like one yourself. Kind of the same principle as "never argue with a fool -- bystanders will not be able to tell the difference."

[Drover]

Originally Posted by via chicago

"Our viewers in New York and London may be surprised, but the reason we chose to start off our tour (of cities) in Chicago is that it is the financial Capital of the world."
~CNBC commentator

I have to ask, based on what criteria? It's pretty much understood by the rest of the financial world that the title of "Financial Capital of the World" is a close three-way race between NYC, London and Hong Kong with no other cities really in their league. Yeah, nobody can doubt that an assload of money comes and goes through this city, but "financial capital of the world" ??? That's the first time I've heard that.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Drover

Also, it's hard to argue against the "Ch1c4g0 1z t3h 5ux0rz LOL !!1!11!!one!1!one!11!" idiots without starting to sound like one yourself. Kind of the same principle as "never argue with a fool -- bystanders will not be able to tell the difference."

LOL

While Ive yet to see that net talk go on here on these boards, Im sure several have been attempted to use it, but refuse to do so in an attempt to disguise their age.