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The truth is, no Chicagoans are really concerned that the City isn't surrounded by other large cities (though Indy and Milwaukee are both bigger than Boston).
That's the problem. Chicago is very isolationist. Very parochial. There is not much as an exchange between Chicago and other cities, something that is simply natural and forced by location in Bosh-Wash corridor.
"The largest employer in the city of Chicago is the Federal government. Followed by the City of Chicago Public School system. Other major employers are the city of Chicago, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Cook County government, and the Chicago Park District. These thousands of government workers provide the backbone of the coalition for higher taxes, generous pensions and “political stability”."
"One of the great fables urban lovers of Chicago like to talk about is some comeback of the city. The comeback, according to this urban legend, involves white families staying in Chicago to raise their children. With Chicago’s 150,000 white population decline from 1990 to 2000: Chicago was only 31.3 percent non-Hispanic white."
"Not a single bank in the top 25 largest banks in America is headquartered in Chicago. While Chicago’s financial district declines Charlotte, North Carolina has emerged as a bigger banking town. Charlotte has the headquarters of two of the four largest banks in America: Wachovia and Bank of America. Other elements of Chicago’s financial district also show major weaknesses. Chicago doesn’t have one major mutual fund company headquarters. Chicago’s mutual fund job base is smaller than Denver, Indianapolis, or Baltimore. Chicago has a few major hedge funds but nothing like New York City or London. Chicago is the futures capital of America with the merger of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade but even here the news isn’t all positive. Computers have shed tens of thousands of jobs in the futures industry. Futures trading floors are headed for extinction within the next three to seven years, eliminating even more jobs."
"It's poor logic to compare growth since the 1950s to 2008's list.
The top 10 in 1950 were totally different than they are now. Here's the top 10 from 1950, with their population change compared to 2007 estimates:
New York (+4.8%), Chicago (-21.7%), Philadelphia (-30.0%), Los Angeles (+94.6%), Detroit (-50.5%), Baltimore (-32.9%), Cleveland (-50.2%), St. Louis (-59.1%), Washington (-26.7%), Boston (-24.1%)
Per that, Chicago fared third-best from it's top-ten peers since 1950.
Interestingly, the total population of the U.S. was 150,520,798 in 1950. In 2007 it was estimated to be 302,200,000. That means the U.S. as a whole grew 100.7% in those 57 years - even faster than the rate of growth for the winner from 1950, L.A. with 94.6% growth.
What does that mean? It means that those cities, including Chicago, almost certainly lost population due to trends far more powerful than anything the cities themselves could control. Knocking them for "losing population" when all the Top Ten cities from 1950 lost population when controlled for the nation's overall growth is sort of silly."
"It's the same in every architecture, public spaces, or urban design forum, Chicago-bashing. The last 10 years, or so, it's getting louder and more consistent. Look, it doesn't take Freud to figure out what this is all about. ENVY! I've grown tired of giving sound, reasoned rebuttals to people who have their own agenda. Enough! In the vernacular of the kids today 'don't hate, congratulate!'"
"The author's characterization of Chicago as a city in decline is flawed. Chicago and metropolitan Chicago are not in decline, in fact the 10 million population urban area is in the ascendency. Chicago and its surrounding urban and suburban areas are and integrated whole, interconnected by nearly 1,000 miles of commuter railways. To separate the City of Chicago from the other 75% of the metro population and the other 75% of the geographic area is not a valid parameter on which to say Chicago is in decline. Chicago is one of the three truly world class metropolitan areas in the United States and that will be the case for decades to come. Chicago is a world class city! For those who want to know more about Chicago's place on the world stage, read the book 'Global Chicago'."
That's the problem. East Coasters are very isolationist. Very parochial. There is not much as an exchange between BosWash and other regions, something that is simply natural and forced by location in Great Lakes corridor.
You shouldn't do that. leave my words alone and work on your statements.
BTW Calling Bosh-Wash corridor with 20% or 50M of US population simply shows you parochialism.
First, he edited the post as a joke (something you don't understand). Second, your second sentence doesn't make sense, yet you criticize everyone that went to a school anywhere near Chicago. Second, once you translate what you're trying to say, explain to us how he is selfish...?
Quote:
Originally Posted by chitown2pa
Huh? Try again in English?
He called you selfish basically, he just wanted to seem smart in doing so.
First, he edited the post as a joke (something you don't understand).
No I do not get that hicktown kid of humor. You do not edit other people posts. You can paraphrase them. And you guys wonder why there is no decent press in Chicago? Not with your understanding of good or bad taste.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spire
Second, your second sentence doesn't make sense, yet you criticize everyone that went to a school anywhere near Chicago. Second, once you translate what you're trying to say, explain to us how he is selfish...?
.
It doesn't, I missed that while typing, but from the context you should understand that calling a region, populated by 50M or 20% of US population, parochial is very dumb. And parochial.
No I do not get that hicktown kid of humor. You do not edit other people posts. You can paraphrase them. And you guys wonder why there is no decent press in Chicago? Not with your understanding of good or bad taste.
It doesn't, I missed that while typing, but from the contex you should understand that calling a region, populated by 50M or 20% of US population, parochial is very dumb. And parochial.
Oh boy, let me try that!
Sorry, kid, I don't get that juvenile sense of indignance! I DID edit your post, and I liked it! It was fun. Only I didn't really edit it. I just repeated what you said back at you. Think of it as a mirror, showing you the gigantic pimple on your forehead.
No, we don't wonder why there is no decent press in Chicago. That's a dead issue, and I already refuted you.
As for the "parochialism," which of course refers to a narrowness of scope, I think you might want to find a couple other things to talk about than the "hicktown"-ness of Chicagoans and the supposed lack of press in Chicago before you call anybody else narrow-minded. Hello, Pot? Nice to meet you; I'm Kettle.
Oh boy, let me try that!
Sorry, kid, I don't get that juvenile sense of indignance! I DID edit your post, and I liked it! It was fun. Only I didn't really edit it. I just repeated what you said back at you. Think of it as a mirror, showing you the gigantic pimple on your forehead.
No you did not. You edited my post and signed it with my name. That's low.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chitown2pa
No, we don't wonder why there is no decent press in Chicago. That's a dead issue, and I already refuted you.
No you haven't. Wait I recall an exchange with Lucas. Are you and Lucas the same person? The lack of serious journalism in Chicago is due both to general public's lack of interest in afairs outside of Chicago (parochialism and isolationism) and lack of real talent in the area (intellectual capacity)
I could understand the lack of international press in Boston, with New York being only few hours drive away it does not make any sense to create another international media center in Boston, but Chicago? There is no other media center within hundread of miles yet Chicago did not create any serious journalism... Not a single national or international publication, besides Playboy.... I guess hillbilies have other needs...
Last edited by dementor; 04-13-2009 at 07:25 PM..
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