Ouch, Illinois...

[RushmoreAcademy]

So, people on this board living who live in IL think it's better to live in IL??????????? And people who live in WI think it's better to live in WI?????????????????

[brandx]

Whoa, dude!

[keefe]

It's the Willis Tower now.  Although when my son was little, he used to refer to it as the "Serious Tower".

[real chili 83]

Like SPW, I moved from Chicago to the Cities.

Summers are incredible.  What impressed me the most about this state is how people embrace and take advantage of the winter.

If you've never screamed across a frozen lake at 90+mph, you are missing something.

You can have Chicago.

Ners, send me a pm next time you are in town.

[mueron]

The fact of the matter is that Chicagoans are very proud of Chicago. More so than residents of any city in Wisconsin or probably anywhere else in the Midwest. Spend 15 minutes in Chicago and you will see more 4 Star flags hanging in windows and at bars than you will see Milwaukee flags (I'm assuming they have one?) in the entire city of Milwaukee - I lived in Milwaukee for 5 years and couldn't even tell you what their flag looks like.

I say this as someone living in Chicago for the past five years (after spending the first 23 years of my life in Wisconsin) and having tons of friends from Chicago as well.

There is animosity between Chicagoans and downstate Illinoisans as they perceive our outsize political, cultural, fiscal, and economic influence on the rest of the state as unfair. Perhaps this is true, or perhaps not. There is also the perception that people from downstate are hillbillies and there is very little culture, or even natural attractions such as Wisconsin's northwoods or state parks. Southern and central Illinois is entirely flat farmland. There isn't much to see or do.

All of this is why Chicagoans are very, very proud of their city, but could care less about the rest of the state.

For the record, I am proud of my Wisconsin heritage, but even prouder to live in one of the greatest cities in the world. I have no strong desire to move back north of the border, although I would for the right job.

This guy nailed it.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

It's the Willis Tower now.  Although when my son was little, he used to refer to it as the "Serious Tower".

I still call it the Sears Tower. If nothing else just out of habit.

[ChicosBailBonds]

There is animosity between Chicagoans and downstate Illinoisans as they perceive our political process to be filled with corruption and if you are not part of the machinery you have no chance

Bleu, I agree with most of what you said, but I think you did a disservice to the political part.  Chicago is legendary for corruption and the machinery and it really pisses people off....I would have changed your sentence to that in red above. 

[LloydMooresLegs]

Do you think the residents of Lawndale and Inglewood have a lot of city pride?  I am just asking; I don't know.  Chicago is a great place to live if you are relatively well off and can afford to send your kids to private school and don't rely much on city services.  Otherwise, not so much.

Also, it's possible to love Chicago and hate Illinois.

Absolutely.   I spent the day yesterday in Englewood with others from my parish and thousands of others from around Chicago working on housing side by side with the residents who have so much pride and ownership that they are willing to do stay and try to improve their circumstances not withstanding the horrific violence they live with day to day.  Much pride.

[warriorchick]

Absolutely.   I spent the day yesterday in Englewood with others from my parish and thousands of others from around Chicago working on housing side by side with the residents who have so much pride and ownership that they are willing to do stay and try to improve their circumstances not withstanding the horrific violence they live with day to day.  Much pride.

As I said, I didn't know whether there was or not.  Thank you for answering my question.

[Windyplayer]

5) The lovely murder rate that no one ever speaks about until it gets out of hand.  (At least Detroit and Oakland realize they have a problem)

Um, what? This is one of the most publicized problems in Chicago. It makes national news several times a year. I McCarthy and the rest of the police force have a pretty good understanding of what's going on and you can bet your ass Rahm is dropping F bombs left and right behind the scenes to ameliorate the situation.

Normally I don't get too worked up about posts, but this one was mind-numbingly uninformed.

[Galway Eagle]

Um, what? This is one of the most publicized problems in Chicago. It makes national news several times a year. I McCarthy and the rest of the police force have a pretty good understanding of what's going on and you can bet your ass Rahm is dropping F bombs left and right behind the scenes to ameliorate the situation.

Normally I don't get too worked up about posts, but this one was mind-numbingly uninformed.

While you're right on some levels McCarthy taking hundreds of decorated detectives and putting back in squad cars was an asinine decision.  Now he's got some of his best officers who actually understand Chicago, retiring early and going PI

[Sheriff]

Bleu, I agree with most of what you said, but I think you did a disservice to the political part.  Chicago is legendary for corruption and the machinery and it really pisses people off....I would have changed your sentence to that in red above. 

Precisely, Chicos.  Ask any taxpayer whose pockets aren't lined by patronage, cronyism or affiliation with pay-to-play special interests.  The roots of Illinois politics are nourished by the cesspool in Chicago and the canopy of the tree reaches all the way to D.C.

[warriorchick]

Precisely, Chicos.  Ask any taxpayer whose pockets aren't lined by patronage, cronyism or affiliation with pay-to-play special interests.  The roots of Illinois politics are nourished by the cesspool in Chicago and the canopy of the tree reaches all the way to D.C.

+1

God forbid that The Chicago Way is becoming The American Way.

[brandx]

+1

God forbid that The Chicago Way is becoming The American Way.

Aw... that's so cute.

[Coleman]

nm

[Coleman]

Bleu, I agree with most of what you said, but I think you did a disservice to the political part.  Chicago is legendary for corruption and the machinery and it really pisses people off....I would have changed your sentence to that in red above. 

No argument from me. There is a machine. But its power is not as strong as it once was, and it is possible to defeat it.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140318/logan-square/northwest-side-state-rep-race-biggest-race-city-of-chicago

[MDMU04]

+1

God forbid that The Chicago Way is becoming The American Way.

If you think it wasn't long before the current occupant took office, I don't know what to tell you.

[Benny B]

Um, what? This is one of the most publicized problems in Chicago. It makes national news several times a year. I McCarthy and the rest of the police force have a pretty good understanding of what's going on and you can bet your ass Rahm is dropping F bombs left and right behind the scenes to ameliorate the situation.

Normally I don't get too worked up about posts, but this one was mind-numbingly uninformed.

My bad... I forget that Daley is no longer telling the Trib what stories they can and can't run.

That said, what was originally meant to be a tongue in cheek response actually ended up having some merit to it... hey, I'm just as surprised as I am, apparently, uninformed.

[keefe]

My bad... I forget that Daley is no longer telling the Trib what stories they can and can't run.

That said, what was originally meant to be a tongue in cheek response actually ended up having some merit to it... hey, I'm just as surprised as I am, apparently, uninformed.

Pi

[warriorchick]

More bragging rights for Texas:

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-autos-toyota-move-texas-jobs-20140428,0,1792462.story

Toyota to move 3,000 jobs from Southern California to Texas

Toyota Motor Corp. said it will move 3,000 jobs from Torrance to new North American headquarters in Plano, Texas, over the next three years.

The move will affect 2,000 workers in Toyota's U.S. sales and marketing arm and 1,000 positions in its financial services business. That will leave about 2,300 Toyota employees in California.

No Toyota workers will remain at the company's 2-million square foot office complex in Torrance. The company said it has not yet determined what it will do with the property.


The shift is part of a corporate strategy to locate the employees running its engineering and manufacturing, sales and marketing, financial services and certain corporate functions all on one complex.

"Ultimately, enabling greater collaboration and efficiencies across Toyota will help us become a more dynamic, innovative and successful organization in North America," said Jim Lentz, chief executive of Toyota's North America region.

"This is the most significant change we've made to our North American operations in the past 50 years, and we are excited for what the future holds," he said.

Altogether, the moves will affect approximately 4,000 employees nationally.

Toyota will shutter its engineering and manufacturing office in Erlanger, Ky. -- near the Cincinnati-area airport -- with the personnel being distributed to a tech center in Ann Arbor, Mich., the new Plano, headquarters and a new facility at the automaker's Georgetown, Ky., factory.

Toyota officials said that creating a more efficient corporate structure, not cutting costs, was the primary motivation in deciding to build a centralized headquarters in Texas.

Toyota has long been a Southern California fixture. Its first U.S. office opened in a closed Rambler dealership in Hollywood in 1957. The site is now a Toyota dealership. In 1958, its first year of sales, Toyota sold just 288 vehicles — 287 Toyopet Crown sedans and one Land Cruiser. Last year, Toyota sold more than 2.2 million vehicles in the U.S.

The U.S. branch picked Los Angeles for its first headquarters because of proximity to the port complex — where it imported cars — and easy airline access to Tokyo.

As Toyota grew, it opened its national sales and marketing headquarters in Torrance in 1982. The complex, built where its parts distribution warehouse was once located.

But today, about 75% of Toyota-branded vehicles sold in the U.S. are built in North America — many of them at plants in Texas, Mississippi and Kentucky. Moving the U.S. corporate headquarters to Texas puts senior management closer to those factories.

The company said it has committed to providing $10 million in continued funding for local nonprofits and community organizations in California and Kentucky over a five-year period beginning in 2017.

[LloydMooresLegs]

I think that there is a bit of a misunderstanding of what should be recognized as the fully integrated and cooperative system of corruption in Illinois.  To be sure, there is resentment between some "downstaters" (meaning those Illinoisans who reside outside of "Chicagoland," whether south or west) and Chicagoans.

But the only meaningful distinction in the corrupt Illinois Democrat and Republican politicians who have cooperated historically in running Illinois finances into the ground in what John Kass of the Tribune has dubbed "The Combine," is between those who have been caught (GRyan [Rep], Blago [Dem], "Quarters" Boyle, Vrdolyak [both!]) and those who have not (MMadigan, Daley).

[Benny B]

I think that there is a bit of a misunderstanding of what should be recognized as the fully integrated and cooperative system of corruption in Illinois.  To be sure, there is resentment between some "downstaters" (meaning those Illinoisans who reside outside of "Chicagoland," whether south or west) and Chicagoans.

But the only meaningful distinction in the corrupt Illinois Democrat and Republican politicians who have cooperated historically in running Illinois finances into the ground in what John Kass of the Tribune has dubbed "The Combine," is between those who have been caught (GRyan [Rep], Blago [Dem], "Quarters" Boyle, Vrdolyak [both!]) and those who have not (MMadigan, Daley).

Truth be told, getting your daughter appointed as "elected" attorney general was a pretty cunning move on MMad's part to keep him in that latter distinction.

[keefe]

"Quarters" Boyle

This intrigued me to where I had to look it up. What I found was more bizarre than I could have imagined. We just don't have any of this in the PNW. There is no way you could make this up. Truly stranger than fiction.



http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-08-24/news/0508240217_1_prosecutors-grand-jury-hired-truck-program

[Spotcheck Billy]

This intrigued me to where I had to look it up. What I found was more bizarre than I could have imagined. We just don't have any of this in the PNW. There is no way you could make this up. Truly stranger than fiction.



http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-08-24/news/0508240217_1_prosecutors-grand-jury-hired-truck-program

Respect the process

[mikekinsellaMVP]

We just don't have any of this in the PNW.

Come on, keefe.  Between the CRC boondoggle and mayoral candidates who punch their pickup basketball opponents in the nuts, you know that's not true.