This is going to sound sarcastic. It's not.

And I'm posting it here since I'm only trying to reach those interested in Chicago.

Who is the # 1 fan of Chicago on this board? Not to set the flames going on other boards. I'm posting as a Chicagoan to Chicagoans.

Lots of choices. But to me, only one really works: Silverlake. I have yet to read anyone on the board who thinks about Chicago as much as this guy does.

What is his motivation? Clearly he sees Chicago as a threat. A big threat to LA. If anyone on this board brought up the issue of Pittsburgh being a world class city, or Salt Lake, Charlotte, or Omaha, SL would ignore it. He would not be threatened.

But Chicago; well, that's scary. NYC is unquestionably the nation's biggest and most important city. Conventional wisdom afterwards looks at the trio of NY, Chgo, and LA as the megacities, the large global cities on the US landscape. I buy into this one and (no matter SL's rants) have no question that LA belongs (which is a level of security he does not have on Chicago). I think LA is a totally world class city. However, the only way that LA's success can work, for SL, is bicoastal poles, NY and LA, both preceived as the leaders of the pack.

There is no conceivable way that this guy isn't totally obsessed with Chicago and totally threatened by it. I've never seen any poster on the board try to bash one city so hard and support his own in the process. If this isn't fear of competiton, i don't know what is.

Look, I know it is probably dumb posting this, and truthfully personality should not be the issue. But I think it would be helpful to all of us when reading what SL says about Chicago to carefully read betwen the lines and ask ourselves, "why is he thinking about Chicago so much? Why does he fear its status?)

And I'm not saying this with malice. I wish for his own sake that SL was less obsessed about Chicago (or whoever the so-called competition is) and thus was able to enjoy LA a lot more, and be more secure in its greatness (with the added benefit of being able to enjoy other cities as well as his own, as well).

Considering this is an urban board, what better wish could I have for him?

Good lord! Do you realize what an argument that could ensue if certain LA forumers wander in and see this. :runaway: :gunz: :jk:

Good lord! Do you realize what an argument that could ensue if certain LA forumers wander in and see this. :runaway: :gunz: :jk:


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL :rofl:

I tend to agree though.
He's obsessed! :righton:

Frankly, I think the same could be said about some Chicago forumers. Maybe Silverlake wouldn't feel the need to take shots at Chicago if there weren't so many Chicago forumers that take the bait and argue with him. Every time he says even one mildly critical comment about Chicago there are about three people from this forum that jump all over him. Perhaps this may reveal some obsession with LA on this forum. :| Just ignore him and he will stop.

actually you are right. silverlake and darejeling, too, just go out of the way to annoy. and i'm guilty of responding, too.

i don't think either of them really look down on chicago in anyway; they just like to flame. and we really should ignore their stupidity and just plain rudenss.

i hope i take my own advise.

You're wrong anyway. I, clearly, am the biggest fan of Chicago in the world :)

actually, geoff, i'm the competition.

suburbanite sure was right about ignoring the jerks. i found one of the best way is to just avoid the stupid city vs. city threads.

it's unbelievable how many idiotic trollers post on those threads. at least they avoid a good percentage of thrads on the chgo board

I think it's me, I'd take Chicago over The World. :)

o.k., guys, with this chicago love fest going on here, let me do a little chicago bitchin' and get your guys spin on it:

I've always had a great interest in and passion for my home town. To me, Chicago has always been an incredible place. It is also been my experience that fellow Chicagoans think our city is fantastic and wouldn't want to live in another city. From friends and relatives from out of town, I've always gotten the same response: Chicago is incredible. I've worked in the tourist industry in the city (doing tours) and out-of-towners from across the US and around the world are absolutely floored by our city.

So, with my interest in cities in general and Chicago in particular, I was more than happy to find this board. And still am. I enjoy what you guys share about the city here, the great photos throughout the forum, lots of stuff like that.

But here's the part that really me:

1. the flaming from the west coast and the absurdity that some of the LA folks have in putting down Chicago. It's like they really feel LA is diminished if Chicago is also world class.

2. the sheer worship of all things New York. I think NY is great and probably does have more than other US cities. But the way people go overboard about it is alien to my experiences in the real world. NY is great, but so is Chicago and I, for one, don't feel we have to accumulate more and more to be in its class.

Before I came to this board, I always felt Chicago doesn't have to compete with other cities; it's fantastic on its own. No desire to be NY, LA, SF, anyplace. Yet here the atmosphere gets so toxic.

I always believed that how we felt about cities was a matter of taste and having more does not necessarily mean better. Here, it seems, everybody wants to rank cities and what they say comes across as fact and not opinion.

Now I realize that a forum like this draws people who are hyper-interested in cities, but are there others out there who think basically like I do:

OFF THE BOARD, WE CHICAGOANS THINK OUR CITY IS AS GOOD AND AS CLASSY AS ANY; ON THE BOARD, WE'RE MADE TO FEEL LIKE A BEAUTY CONTEST, BASHED BY L.A., AND TOLD THAT NO PLACE ON THE UNIVERSE CAN COMPARE TO NYC.

Meanwhile, and having been to NY and LA numerous times, I don't think Chgo takes a back seat to any city.

and if you think I'm being an f-ing, oversensitive lunatic here, I don't mind you telling me that either.

o.k., guys, with this chicago love fest going on here, let me do a little chicago bitchin' and get your guys spin on it:

I've always had a great interest in and passion for my home town. To me, Chicago has always been an incredible place. It is also been my experience that fellow Chicagoans think our city is fantastic and wouldn't want to live in another city. From friends and relatives from out of town, I've always gotten the same response: Chicago is incredible. I've worked in the tourist industry in the city (doing tours) and out-of-towners from across the US and around the world are absolutely floored by our city.

So, with my interest in cities in general and Chicago in particular, I was more than happy to find this board. And still am. I enjoy what you guys share about the city here, the great photos throughout the forum, lots of stuff like that.

But here's the part that really me:

1. the flaming from the west coast and the absurdity that some of the LA folks have in putting down Chicago. It's like they really feel LA is diminished if Chicago is also world class.

2. the sheer worship of all things New York. I think NY is great and probably does have more than other US cities. But the way people go overboard about it is alien to my experiences in the real world. NY is great, but so is Chicago and I, for one, don't feel we have to accumulate more and more to be in its class.

Before I came to this board, I always felt Chicago doesn't have to compete with other cities; it's fantastic on its own. No desire to be NY, LA, SF, anyplace. Yet here the atmosphere gets so toxic.

I always believed that how we felt about cities was a matter of taste and having more does not necessarily mean better. Here, it seems, everybody wants to rank cities and what they say comes across as fact and not opinion.

Now I realize that a forum like this draws people who are hyper-interested in cities, but are there others out there who think basically like I do:

OFF THE BOARD, WE CHICAGOANS THINK OUR CITY IS AS GOOD AND AS CLASSY AS ANY; ON THE BOARD, WE'RE MADE TO FEEL LIKE A BEAUTY CONTEST, BASHED BY L.A., AND TOLD THAT NO PLACE ON THE UNIVERSE CAN COMPARE TO NYC.

Meanwhile, and having been to NY and LA numerous times, I don't think Chgo takes a back seat to any city.

and if you think I'm being an f-ing, oversensitive lunatic here, I don't mind you telling me that either.

I have a similar perspective. About the LA bashing Chicago nonsence, they must really feel threatened by us.

New York is great, living there for 6 six months I had the time of my life. But the fun things I enjoyed in New York I can enjoy just as much in Chicago. I love NY, but I don't think it should get the free pass all the time.

Wow it sure is an honor to have my own dedicated thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

^We all love you, Silverlake.

Now how about just admitting that Chicago isn't as bad as you always make it out to be?

Wow it sure is an honor to have my own dedicated thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Absolutely! You are a hero here in the Windy City. In fact, most of us have plastic Silverlakes on our dashboards.

dashboards? I thought this thread was about Chicago, not LA? I don't have a car and I take offense to that reference!

^Good one Geoff!! I lack a dashboard as well. Hell, I have no idea how much a gallon of gasoline cost, and I could care less..... I only buy gas when I rent a car, which is only a few times a year(Ikea trips).

Absolutely! You are a hero here in the Windy City. In fact, most of us have plastic Silverlakes on our dashboards.

Edsg has yet to acknowledge Chicago's transit-orientation...

Oh, and BTW, Edsg, why don't you just move into the city? Screw the stupid 'burbs, man!

Edsg has yet to acknowledge Chicago's transit-orientation...

Oh, and BTW, Edsg, why don't you just move into the city? Screw the stupid 'burbs, man!

hey, the burbs aren't all that bad. we still have signs of life. some.

Besides which, what does a plastic silverlake even look like?