Why Can't Detroit Be More Like Chicago/

detmich · August-13-09, 07:26 PM

Can it really be all that hard?

Bearinabox · August-13-09, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by detmich

Can it really be all that hard?

I opened this thread expecting some barely-coherent drivel about shopping and trains. Instead, I got...this. Thanks for the laugh.

**Big Dog** · August-13-09, 08:53 PM

Several Mayors, may have had a hand Detroits demise. Is their city council like ours?

lilpup · August-13-09, 08:55 PM

We've got the corruption part down well, but the 'making it work' part seems to be a stumbling block.

I think more needs to be kept in-house instead of being spent with companies from Texas or spread around traveling and tapping Fed tail.

**313WX** · August-13-09, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by detmich

Can it really be all that hard?

Yes, Chicago actually has people who want to cooperate wit heach other.

**EastsideAl** · August-13-09, 09:39 PM

And Chicago has an actual economy. Based on more than one industry.

LodgeDodger · August-13-09, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by detmich

Can it really be all that hard?

And why can't I have a body like Raquel Welch?

48302 · August-13-09, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

And why can't I have a body like Raquel Welch?

you dont?

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[

**Crumbled_pavement** · August-13-09, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by detmich

Can it really be all that hard?

Yes, because Chicago is off a lake...

**Hamtragedy** · August-13-09, 10:17 PM

Let's see. Unaffordable real estate. $400 annually to park your car in front of your house. Instant $60 tickets for not displaying visitors pass when parking at friends house. 10.5% sales tax. Horrible traffic. Trash everywhere [[literally). And then there is that whole dirty little secret that the world, including Chicago's own politicians, forget about so easily: the South Side.

I've seriously considered Chicago, and after spending plenty of time there working and playing, I'll pass and take my own little piece of paradise in Hamsandwich.

**dtowncitylover** · August-13-09, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by Hamtragedy

Let's see. Unaffordable real estate. $400 annually to park your car in front of your house. Instant $60 tickets for not displaying visitors pass when parking at friends house. 10.5% sales tax. Horrible traffic. Trash everywhere [[literally). And then there is that whole dirty little secret that the world, including Chicago's own politicians, forget about so easily: the South Side.

I've seriously considered Chicago, and after spending plenty of time there working and playing, I'll pass and take my own little piece of paradise in Hamsandwich.

I left after only one month for those reasons. And don't forget the rudeness. I hate that city.

48302 · August-13-09, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by Hamtragedy

Let's see. Unaffordable real estate. $400 annually to park your car in front of your house. Instant $60 tickets for not displaying visitors pass when parking at friends house. 10.5% sales tax. Horrible traffic. Trash everywhere [[literally). And then there is that whole dirty little secret that the world, including Chicago's own politicians, forget about so easily: the South Side.

I've seriously considered Chicago, and after spending plenty of time there working and playing, I'll pass and take my own little piece of paradise in Hamsandwich.

are you joking?

**Hamtragedy** · August-14-09, 12:34 AM

No. And about which part?

**royce** · August-14-09, 01:01 AM

When comparing Chicago and Detroit, people always make the comparison that Chicago is more diverse economically than Detroit. What I want to know is, besides the merchantile exchange, what industries does Chicago have that Detroit [[really metro Detroit) doesn't?

**rb336** · August-14-09, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by 48302

are you joking?

chicago ain't all great, as i've said before. as a native of chicagoland, i have some of the same problems with the city others do. there is an arrogance people there display that is totally unwarranted, which results in much ruder behavior than I ever experienced in the D or NYC, including from people who are supposedly there to help visitors. I have long thought the arrogance/rudeness stems from an inferiority complex because ... it ain't new york. [[last time a person in the hospitality industry was rude to me, I did unleash my "new york junior" comment).

people think Chicago is integrated, but go uptown on the el and see how many brown faces there are.

**313WX** · August-14-09, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

chicago ain't all great, as i've said before. as a native of chicagoland, i have some of the same problems with the city others do. there is an arrogance people there display that is totally unwarranted, which results in much ruder behavior than I ever experienced in the D or NYC, including from people who are supposedly there to help visitors. I have long thought the arrogance/rudeness stems from an inferiority complex because ... it ain't new york. [[last time a person in the hospitality industry was rude to me, I did unleash my "new york junior" comment).

people think Chicago is integrated, but go uptown on the el and see how many brown faces there are.

It sounds a lot like Detroiters & how they feel about Chicago. To make us feel better about Detroit's insecurities, we try to put down Chicago & their accomplishments every chance we get [[because we're bitter of how far Detroit has fallen, yet Chicago failed to do so). That's pretty much why every big project or event we muster up, Detroiters try to hype it up like we're going to be another Chicago. That's also why we tried to imitated their El-Train by constructing the rather inferior People Mover.

hmm...well that explains the purpose of this thread in a nutshell...

48302 · August-14-09, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by 48302

Originally Posted by Hamtragedy

Let's see. Unaffordable real estate. $400 annually to park your car in front of your house. Instant $60 tickets for not displaying visitors pass when parking at friends house. 10.5% sales tax. Horrible traffic. Trash everywhere [[literally). And then there is that whole dirty little secret that the world, including Chicago's own politicians, forget about so easily: the South Side.

I've seriously considered Chicago, and after spending plenty of time there working and playing, I'll pass and take my own little piece of paradise in Hamsandwich.

hamtramck versus Chicago....

and hamtramck wins...

i guess i thought that was a joke.....sorry.

please crosspost to the minor league site for further satire.

**maxx** · August-15-09, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by Hamtragedy

Let's see. Unaffordable real estate. $400 annually to park your car in front of your house. Instant $60 tickets for not displaying visitors pass when parking at friends house. 10.5% sales tax. Horrible traffic. Trash everywhere [[literally). And then there is that whole dirty little secret that the world, including Chicago's own politicians, forget about so easily: the South Side.

I've seriously considered Chicago, and after spending plenty of time there working and playing, I'll pass and take my own little piece of paradise in Hamsandwich.

Yes, things are cheaper in Detroit, but services are lousy. It's like Detroit is nothing but the southside of Chicago.

**KOMPOST** · August-14-09, 07:01 AM

Why can't an avocado taste more like a nectarine?

**Detroit Stylin** · August-14-09, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by KOMPOST

Why can't an avocado taste more like a nectarine?

How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck COULD chuck wood?

**davewindsor** · August-14-09, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by detmich

Can it really be all that hard?

I think Detroit has a bad image problem because it doesn't have enough police, whether real or percieved, and that's why Chicago is perceived as better by outsiders. Double the police budget. Bring back police walking a random beat to any area preceived as unsafe. Have them pickup homeless people and panhandlers and take them to the shelter or throw them in jail if they're difficult.

I remember former NYC Mayor Guliani talking on Larry King and talking about how he fixed up NYC when he had the police write up tickets for all the small things like J-walking, throwing a candy wrapper on the sidewalk, and anything minor so people had respect for the more serious laws and it really cleaned up Manhattan.

I had a friend visit downtown Chicago a year ago. He stopped his car near a bank in downtown to take a picture. Within half a minute, a cop pulls up and tells him he can't stop near a bank and he has to move. That's hardcore. But, those cities feel safer I guess and maybe that's why those cities work so much better.

But then again, when Detroit is bankrupt, you can't increase the police budget unless all those tickets are paying for it.

**dove-7** · August-14-09, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by davewindsor

I think Detroit has a bad image problem because it doesn't have enough police, whether real or percieved, and that's why Chicago is perceived as better by outsiders. Double the police budget. Bring back police walking a random beat to any area preceived as unsafe. Have them pickup homeless people and panhandlers and take them to the shelter or throw them in jail if they're difficult.

I remember former NYC Mayor Guliani talking on Larry King and talking about how he fixed up NYC when he had the police write up tickets for all the small things like J-walking, throwing a candy wrapper on the sidewalk, and anything minor so people had respect for the more serious laws and it really cleaned up Manhattan.

I had a friend visit downtown Chicago a year ago. He stopped his car near a bank in downtown to take a picture. Within half a minute, a cop pulls up and tells him he can't stop near a bank and he has to move. That's hardcore. But, those cities feel safer I guess and maybe that's why those cities work so much better.

But then again, when Detroit is bankrupt, you can't increase the police budget unless all those tickets are paying for it.

If only the lack of "cop safety" syndrome is the sole reason behind Detroit's problems. But it's not that cut n dry.

Most of the posters make valid points when addressing Detroit's current conditions; some of those compare and contrast to other cities are valid.

Economy, riots, crime, politics, lack of mass transit are a few of the many elements that help make and break a city. Speaking of crime, crime doesn't force a large part of it's population to exodus elsewhere. While crime will force many out, it's the lack of economics that force many. Living in the Cali. Bay area, crime is here and frequent more than some on here and off of here may think. Don't let stats fool you, you have to see it for yourself and the politicians have ways of covering up negative images if the money is right.

San Francisco is a beautiful city, but it can be a very dangerous city and in many ways is more like NYC than Chicago is. That being said, even with the crime and even larger homeless population than Detroit, weather [[gets cold as hell here too) tourist attraction and other things keep it going. Even with this bad recession, San Francisco attract tourist. Same applies to Chicago. Overall, it's the politics in Detroit and metro Detroit that dictate how Detroit operates.

I see these circular conversations and arguments continue about Detroit's demise on here; many try to use one element vs several. Until people stop blaming one thing and look at the entire picture, the entire metro will continue to go in circles too.

**Detroit Stylin** · August-14-09, 04:51 PM

Damn dove I havent seen you in many moons, how the life on the left coast? BTW

Overall, it's the politics in Detroit and metro Detroit that dictate how Detroit operates.

I fully agree with this statement here and if I dare say....should we ever get beyond the bullshit poilitics of the REGION, then the rest of those issues plaguing us may actually begin to get taken care of.

**dove-7** · August-14-09, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin

Damn dove I havent seen you in many moons, how the life on the left coast? BTW

I fully agree with this statement here and if I dare say....should we ever get beyond the bullshit poilitics of the REGION, then the rest of those issues plaguing us may actually begin to get taken care of.

Hi Stylin. Good to see you brotha. Life is good. Even during this recession, I'm maintaining. It's not easy all of the time, but there are people far worse. School is good; I'm almost out. Thank God. Lol. Just been shooting for my portfolio [[Fashion and Illustration photography major)

**Detroit Stylin** · August-14-09, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by dove-7

Hi Stylin. Good to see you brotha. Life is good. Even during this recession, I'm maintaining. It's not easy all of the time, but there are people far worse. School is good; I'm almost out. Thank God. Lol. Just been shooting for my portfolio [[Fashion and Illustration photography major)

Well let a brotha know when you need a website then.....