Sweet home Chicago

[slonezp]

This happened right in front of our main office and warehouse yesterday at 5:15pm. We close at 4:30. Had it happened 45 minutes earlier...

https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/cfd-4-shot-in-west-loop

[gim]

My brother lives in West Chicago (Lincoln Park).  For the life of me I can't figure out why anyone in their right mind would want to live there.  The only time I have visited him in the 15 years he has lived there was when he got married and I was the best man.  I have no plans to return, ever.

[Mike L]

I didn’t need to open the link and read it. 
Those things happen in every big city in the country and I’m sure there are people in thier right mind who live there to. 
 

Chicago gets the bad press because it happens more often, I get it. 
 

I look forward to going there whenever I get the chance. 
You just gotta know where to go and where not too….Just like every place else. 
 

 

Mike

[slonezp]

1 hour ago, Mike L said:

I didn’t need to open the link and read it. 
Those things happen in every big city in the country and I’m sure there are people in thier right mind who live there to. 
 

Chicago gets the bad press because it happens more often, I get it. 
 

I look forward to going there whenever I get the chance. 
You just gotta know where to go and where not too….Just like every place else. 
 

 

Mike

The city has changed a lot, and not necessarily for the better, since Mayor Daley stepped down. I'll leave it at that.

Violent crime has spilled over to the Gold Coast and Shopping District. Areas that used to be safe.

I moved out of Chicago 20 years ago. I'm a 1/2 hour west. Crime has been spreading into the burbs. Last Friday there was an attempted carjacking at 5:40am 5 minutes from my house. I drove past the scene at 6 on my way to work. The car owner had his concealed carry license and shot both 16 year old kids. That's right, 16 years old. Kids were caught later in the day at a hospital in a near west suburb(Oak Park) seeking medical help. The Monday prior, a Portillo's down the street from my store was robbed at gunpoint during the lunch rush. 

I love Chicago and hate it just the same. It's not the same city it was when I was a kid. 

 

[gim]

It’s not just the crime for me. It’s the awful airport, flight delays, never ending traffic, high cost of everything, and the taxes that keep me away just to cite a few reasons. They have a 10% tax on clothes and shoes for crying out loud and it costs people 80 bucks a year to park on taxpayer funded public streets. Give me freaking break.

 

They have some of the strictest gun laws in the entire country, yet the crime rate is also near the top. I can’t figure that one out.

 

Its kind of too bad because much of Illinois is a pretty nice state. Western Illinois has some of the best deer hunting in the entire country.

[jimmyjoe]

32 minutes ago, gimruis said:

It’s not just the crime for me. It’s the awful airport, flight delays, never ending traffic, high cost of everything, and the taxes that keep me away just to cite a few reasons. They have a 10% tax on clothes and shoes for crying out loud and it costs people 80 bucks a year to park on taxpayer funded public streets. Give me freaking break.

 

They have some of the strictest gun laws in the entire country, yet the crime rate is also near the top. I can’t figure that one out.

 

Its kind of too bad because much of Illinois is a pretty nice state. Western Illinois has some of the best deer hunting in the entire country.

 

   Whenever you see an area on Earth that has problems, you can generally figure out the reason for those problems. That goes for this place, that place or any other place. But people don't want to face reality. So ...... the problems get worse.

 

   Welcome to Chicago.

   Welcome to Beirut.

   Welcome to Belgrade.

   Welcome to Pretoria

   Welcome to Tijuana

   Welcome to the human race.                        jj

  

[haggard]

A big part of the problem, not saying it's the only one, is population, or more specifically, population density. More people competing for the same number of (or fewer) resources.

 

[slonezp]

13 hours ago, haggard said:

A big part of the problem, not saying it's the only one, is population, or more specifically, population density. More people competing for the same number of (or fewer) resources.

 

I agree to disagree. Chicago has plenty of resources.

 

Today, the State Police increased their presence on IL highways because of a record number of shootings on IL highways. As of this morning, 185 shootings YTD on IL highways. A state trooper lost his life today via a bullet on Chicago's Dan Ryan Expressway. 

 https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-state-trooper-shot-ryan-20211001-2yxi2qitjbernjddxotgrqhinq-story.html

 

Let's not make this political, just educational.

 

What do you do to protect yourself and family? 

 

[Dwight Hottle]

On 9/30/2021 at 7:53 PM, gimruis said:

 

 

They have some of the strictest gun laws in the entire country, yet the crime rate is also near the top. I can’t figure that one out.

 

Its kind of too bad because much of Illinois is a pretty nice state. Western Illinois has some of the best deer hunting in the entire country.

 

I can figure it out. Strict gun laws only apply to the honest citizens. The people causing the crime rate could care less. 

[slonezp]

1 hour ago, Dwight Hottle said:

 

I can figure it out. Strict gun laws only apply to the honest citizens. The people causing the crime rate could care less. 

Yep

[Mike L]

Strict gun laws in major cities mean nothing.

Inner city “street” kids who’s life revolves around their neighborhood will do anything to get a gun because they perceive it as the only way to get what they need to survive..

Respect and Power!

Nothing is more important.

The drive to receive either one is stronger than what most can control. The chance to get both is more important than the air they breathe. 

A 9mm in the hand of a 18-35 male on the So Side is that power and respect plain and simple, and they know it. 
 

When you see and here about what the “haves” have and you look at what you “have” that power is your chance to get it, and no one will stand in your way. 
No community reconstruction, No youth group, No church Outreach, No basketball court or playground will replace that need. 
They’re just a politician’s idea of what someone who’s never lived the way they live think will cure all what’s ails them. 

The biggest problem is not the guns….

It’s the lack of hope, personal respect and the deep need for that power


 

 

 

 

Mike

 

[schplurg]

I'll add to the list "legal gun owners who do not secure their weapons properly", as most of the guns on the street are stolen from someone who had them legally at one point.

[BassNJake]

I always like to throw in the link to some interesting figures

The shot in the junk o meter gets a few laughs, although not funny

https://heyjackass.com/

 

[softwateronly]

On 9/30/2021 at 6:24 PM, slonezp said:

The city has changed a lot, and not necessarily for the better, since Mayor Daley stepped down. I'll leave it at that.

Violent crime has spilled over to the Gold Coast and Shopping District. Areas that used to be safe.

I moved out of Chicago 20 years ago. I'm a 1/2 hour west. Crime has been spreading into the burbs. Last Friday there was an attempted carjacking at 5:40am 5 minutes from my house. I drove past the scene at 6 on my way to work. The car owner had his concealed carry license and shot both 16 year old kids. That's right, 16 years old. Kids were caught later in the day at a hospital in a near west suburb(Oak Park) seeking medical help. The Monday prior, a Portillo's down the street from my store was robbed at gunpoint during the lunch rush. 

I love Chicago and hate it just the same. It's not the same city it was when I was a kid. 

 

As someone born and raised on the southside and still living there, please don't forget how absolutely violent the 80's and 90's were.  Homicide totals in 91? was over 1100.  The city is by far safer now than it has ever been in my 45 years.  This tragedy notwithstanding, the city is fine.  Violent people with no regard for the social contract are the problem and they are everywhere in this country.

 

scott

[Mike L]

 

9 hours ago, softwateronly said:

As someone born and raised on the southside and still living there, please don't forget how absolutely violent the 80's and 90's were.  Homicide totals in 91? was over 1100.  The city is by far safer now than it has ever been in my 45 years.  This tragedy notwithstanding, the city is fine.  Violent people with no regard for the social contract are the problem and they are everywhere in this country.

 

scott

I grew up around 69th and Ashland in an area known as “Little Sicily” in the late 50’s to early 70’s. 
My whole world was Damen to Ashland 67th to 71st. 
At that time everything was your neighborhood, your block, your “street gang” if you will. 
Then 1968-1969 happened. 
(I still have the scars to prove it)
But We still took care of our own and our own problem’s. 

Then it changed again..We moved to the 63rd and Pulaski area which seemed like a suburb. Mid 70’s came and that was it. 
It seemed like bomb went off. 
 

The sense of belonging, family, respect all seemed to be lost. 
The people who took pride in the neighborhood and the willingness to protect it either moved to the south or near west suburbs, or left for Viet Nam and never came back. 

 

 

 

Mike

[softwateronly]

12 hours ago, Mike L said:

 

I grew up around 69th and Ashland in an area known as “Little Sicily” in the late 50’s to early 70’s. 
My whole world was Damen to Ashland 67th to 71st. 
At that time everything was your neighborhood, your block, your “street gang” if you will. 
Then 1968-1969 happened. 
(I still have the scars to prove it)
But We still took care of our own and our own problem’s. 

Then it changed again..We moved to the 63rd and Pulaski area which seemed like a suburb. Mid 70’s came and that was it. 
It seemed like bomb went off. 
 

The sense of belonging, family, respect all seemed to be lost. 
The people who took pride in the neighborhood and the willingness to protect it either moved to the south or near west suburbs, or left for Viet Nam and never came back. 

 

 

 

Mike

Englewood has been hood my whole life and doesn't look to dramatically change for at least a decade.  My FIL is from there.  West Lawn definitely stabilized in the 90's.  It was tough for sure, but a beating not a stabbing or shooting.  It might have slipped again, but I still hit zaca tacos when I visit family and it seems fine.  I've been in bridgeport the last 20 some years, still the new guy in some of my neighbors eyes.

 

scott

 

scott  

[AManWearingAHat]

Glad I got out of Chicago never to return. Shame because I loved what the city used to be, but I will never go back until things change in a big way.

[TnRiver46]

22 hours ago, AManWearingAHat said:

Glad I got out of Chicago never to return. Shame because I loved what the city used to be, but I will never go back until things change in a big way.

I’d love to go back, the Italian beef sandwiches are worth it alone. There’s plenty of gun violence in my own town but no Italian beef or wrigley field 

[Mike L]

46 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’d love to go back, the Italian beef sandwiches are worth it alone. There’s plenty of gun violence in my own town but no Italian beef or wrigley field 

Don’t forget the Italian Ice!
Also, The skyline alone is worth the trip!

 

 

Mike

[slonezp]

1 hour ago, Mike L said:

Don’t forget the Italian Ice!
Also, The skyline alone is worth the trip!

 

 

Mike

Skyline by boat at sunset 

[Spankey]

Was out there a few years ago. For a few days. Loved it. Baseball, hotdogs. pizza, steak house, pier, stadium tour, towers, boat cruise, mob boss house, bus tour did as much as we could do. 
 

I’ll be back. Crime…..it’s every where. More drive by shootings than Philly. I doubt it. 

[Spankey]

22 hours ago, Mike L said:

Don’t forget the Italian Ice!
Also, The skyline alone is worth the trip!

 

 

Mike

Italian Ice. That will have to be done next trip. That one got past us.  
 

I had the best piece of strawberry short cake at Gibsons Steak House in my life. Never better before going to Chicago, nothing better since I left there. 
 

I bet there are some smallies up in that Chicago River. The further I got up it the more structure I saw. Not the most picturesque area but, I caught smallies and greenies in Philly proper in tidal water. No real rush to go back there but it was something I just had to do. I may have been on water I was not suppose to go over. Not sure. Back some time ago Iaconelli done a show and he fished an area I was in also. Biggest fear was wether or not I was gonna have a truck and trailer to go back to. Putting in on Jersey side next time. 

[gim]

I'll never go back.  Ever.  I'd rather spend my nights in jail than live in or visit that city again.  It was an absolute nightmare trying to get from point A to point B for the 3 days I was there, and the cost of everything was outrageous.

 

I can't even imagine trying to raise a family there.  The cost of daycare alone would bankrupt you.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

I'll never go back.  Ever.  I'd rather spend my nights in jail than live in or visit that city again.  It was an absolute nightmare trying to get from point A to point B for the 3 days I was there, and the cost of everything was outrageous.

 

I can't even imagine trying to raise a family there.  The cost of daycare alone would bankrupt you.

Sounds like it's gone downhill since I was last there.

 

Three days for a software seminar...stayed in a hotel by Printer's Row...great Jazz clubs in the area.

 

Course that was back in the early 90s...

[softwateronly]

  @MN Fisher if you get the chance, it's most definitely worth coming back.  If it was the mid 90's and you were at the Hot House or Velvet Lounge, sadly they are closed and certainly missed by me.  I think Jazz Showcase is now the spot for that neighborhood.  And if it's been that long, the neighborhood might be unrecognizable with the infill and lack of crackheads.

 

 @Spankey the river gets real stagnant and nasty outside of the loop, it's improving for sure, but it's been small LM and rock bass for me.  The SM are in the harbors and way bigger, 31st, Burnham and Monroe being my favorites.  I've caught 4lb SM, seen coyotes hunting rabbits, and Peregrine's snacking on pigeons all within 50yds of this pic.  It's wild to see nature find a way to claw back into "our" world.

 

 

Look, I don't mind or care if Chicago is not for you, but if there's nothing positive about it in your mind, it's probably because you don't like any cities.  It's the lack of specificity, projecting, and ignorance in these absolutist and hyperbolic complaints that are most annoying.  

 

scott