The Daily Daley is snowed in today courtesy of Mayor Richard M. Daley and Governor Rod Blagojevich
In lieu of the usual Mayoral schedule, news wrap-up and incisive political commentary, we offer you this.
This writer's commute is 10 miles, perhaps less. It took 2.5 hours. Thanks City of Chicago. Thanks IDOT. It's not often that a citizen comes face to face with a glaring lack of the most basic services that government should provide.
Thank you for showing me that in this city, county and state, anything is possible.
Photo by Chicagoist
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Anna Tarkov
What I love: my family, Chicago and Chicagoans, reading (mostly non-fiction), politics, media, discussing/debating almost anything, traveling, great TV shows like Mad Men, both films AND movies and fi More
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I could not agree with you more in the last paragraph you wrote. Information, as corny as it sounds, truly is power, and the difficulty is only in acquiring information that is reputable and hopefully in some way able to be verified.
As for the rest of your questions and comments, I do appreciate your opinions, and our powerful (hard-won) right to voice them. I suppose this could mark me as old fashioned, but my goal is not to silence you, it is to ask you to think before you speak, or in this case, type. Short bursts of anger or frustration do not a discussion or progress make. They voice your needs and desires, that is true...but they shut down conversation because it is no longer a discussion when people just rant: that is a monologue. All I am asking is that you afford your readers the same amount of respect they afford you. Give us your thought-out, insightful, proactive, powerful suggestions and ideas...stating the obvious in an angry way ends dialogue. Asking questions and offering solutions starts it. So just respect people more, and give them your best, whatever that may be. Otherwise, it just sound like you're yelling at them.
Kit, I'm so pleased! As it turns out, we basically agree.
Don't think yourself old-fashioned, I think I understand exactly where you're coming from despite any generational difference we may have.
Please allow me to point out that this IS a dialogue, not a monologue. What we're doing right now while commenting back and forth is conversing. The main post is just a jumping-off point for a discussion that I always hope occurs in the comments sections. And I can assure you that people DO read the comments. That's where the real action is so to speak. Like I said, I never censor a comment and am eager to actively discuss the issues with anyone, no matter what their point of view is.
I can also assure you that I afford my readers tremendous respect. The readers are the reason I am doing this, the reason I keep going every day while working full-time and attending to many other duties and responsibilities. I am not being paid for my work here. I do it because I am passionate about the subject matter and hope to "infect" others with that same passion.
As far as proposing solutions and working to create change, I am doing those things privately. I don't feel it's appropriate to discuss those things here since this is a public forum and it wouldn't be pertinent to my topical area: Mayor Daley. However, if you're interested, please feel free to e-mail me.
My commute was brutal as well. Here are some videos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37521603@N00/3114360057/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37521603@N00/3114347871/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37521603@N00/3114343067/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37521603@N00/3115162196/
Very cool videos! Nice to know that drivers and cyclists were kind of in it together yesterday (even though it was a bad place to be).
You know what, I'm sick and tired of hearing this "oh god poor me" bull from a very select group of people. Wow, it took you a long time to get home. What about the people that do that every day to get to a minimum wage job or a free clinic? What about the people that travel that long every day and come home to hungry children, sick parents, abusive relationships, or even worse?
It snowed. A lot. In Chicago. In the winter time. You're right, it could have been handled better, and it's been both better and worse in the past. You don't run this city, you've never tried, so unless you're ready to put your money where your mouth is and FIX it, shut up or move away. We don't need people who are going to use the internet as a personal pulpit for this kind of statement. Suck it up and be an adult about it or do something proactive yourself, don't just sit on your ass and do nothing.
Thanks for the comment Kit. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts here and doing so openly and honestly.
That said, I'm not sure what you mean by a "select group of people." What group am I a part of? What do you actually know about me? Did you, for instance, take the time to click over to my bio? If not, here it is: http://www.windycitizen.com/user/anna-tarkov
As you can see, I DO put my money where my mouth is. I am involved in local politics in various ways so I DO work to make changes, I don't just complain.
Also, snow removal in our city is a public issue. It isn't as though I'm complaining that my neighbor has his stereo too loud or that my boss is a jerk. Those are private matters. But when something is a public matter or uses public funds, then it is absolutely fair game for discussion, criticism, etc.
I also believe (and hope you agree) that it's a natural and healthy part of our democratic process to discuss our government and elected officials and point out what can be done better. Trying to stifle that does us all a disservice.
As you slip and slide on Chicago streets think parking meters.
Mayor Daley leased each and every parking meter in the City of Chicago for 75 years for the measley price of $1.17 per day (I did the math).
Then he put $400 million into a "rainy day fund".
Mayor Daley won't spend extra money on keeping our kids safe at street corners with buses sliding through intersections but he's building his Olympic slush fund.
The only question is will anyone be gutsy enough and smart enough to take the Mayor on for his next mayoral election.
It should never take 5 hours to go from downtown to O'Hare airport. Can you imagine how much some poor soul paid to sit in a cab that long?
Usually, the plows and trucks are out BEFORE the snow comes.
In terms of having enough salt to last through the winter for the City, here is a simple solution to stretch the salt.
Mix the salt with sand. This way you don't need as much salt and there is still traction. We've got tons of sand along the shores of Lake Michigan. This way we get traction & safety and the city saves money too.
But that would be too simple.
Remember 1 Mayor already lost a Chicago election over not getting the snowplows out in time. The only thing in this case is that there is no one to run against Daley & he knows it.
Deadvoter, ever hear of the Blue Line?
If I may chime in here, I am absolutely a proponent of public transportation. I personally use it if it's convenient to do so and while I have a car, I often opt to take public transport instead if I have the extra time.
Unfortunately, it isn't an alternative for everyone. Some people are too elderly or infirm or might be handicapped. And while every effort is made to make transit accessible to these folks, not everyone is able to walk to a bus stop or an El stop or walk up stairs or stand for long periods or be exposed to the elements such as cold, rain, etc.
And even if someone IS able to do all these things, it is absolutely within their rights to drive their own vehicle if they so choose or have someone drive them (whether it's a cab driver or a friend or family member). I hate to use the old adage "It's a free country," but it absolutely applies here. Our city can and should be a good environment for drivers, public transportation users, cyclists and even pedestrians.
Anna Tarkov, you are right. Father Greeley got ambitious and took the Blue Line and got seriuosly hurt somehow after coming off the train. However, a few months ago I was involved in a reunion out near O'Hare and one of the couples, octagenarians, took the Blue Line to see "Wicked" in the Loop. They had a ball!
geniune_rp, I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here, if any. Are you making fun of the idea that not everyone is able or willing to take public transportation? Please clarify and then maybe we can discuss it further.
In your reply to Kit you stated "I don't just complain". I have to question that comment and your commitment to local politics when you make a statement on a public forum such as Twitter(and I quote): "I hate this city and this state". That’s I tiger showing its true stripes about how they really feel if you ask me. For someone with local political aspirations not only is hate a strong word but it is pretty indefensible. I happen to love this city with all its terrible flaws and foilbles and I am willing to work for change. Haters can go live somewhere else. So I wait your forthcoming retort about how it was a kneejerk comment to being overly frustrated blah blah blah... yadda yadda yadda...
Sherilyn, you make a valid point. But I think it's also a bit unfair to hold me to the fire for tweets which are only 140 characters or less. As a preliminary answer, I'd like to quote a tweet that I received in response to my "hateful" comment: http://twitter.com/kwells2416/statuses/1061842244
Had I more time and room, you and I both know that I would have explained that I hate the GOVERNMENT of this city and state. I am far from alone in this sentiment. And again, to be fair, anyone who reads my tweets on a regular basis would know that's what I meant. Is not your reaction a bit knee-jerk when you complain about me "hating" even though the tweet in question was an isolated incident? And I'm sorry, I disagree, "hate" is completely defensible in the context that I used the word. It isn't as though I used it to refer to a person. Hating an institution (governmental or otherwise) is perfectly allowable. It's a strong word, I agree, but it's only a word. It isn't as though I'm advocating seceding from the Union or something. I am simply voicing my frustration as it is my Constitutional right to do so.
Contrary to that tweet, I love the friendly and hard-working people here, our cultural institutions, our architecture, our beautiful parks and lakefront, our state university system, etc., etc., etc. Those things are not the problem. The government is the problem. The government and the people are not mutually exclusive, but they are also not one and the same.
However, to be fair, government is elected. Voters go to the polls in Chicago, Cook County and across the entire state of Illinois to vote for their representatives at the local and federal levels. So it's disappointing to myself and many others that Governor Blagojevich and other public officials who are of such low moral character and just plain bad at their jobs are re-elected over and over and over... and over. I strongly feel that an ignorant vote is worse than not voting at all.
Again I'll quote the famous saying "We get the government we deserve." What does this say about some of the voters of Chicago, Cook County, and the state of Illinois?
Anna—
You had the room to Tweet “I hate the GOVERNMENT of this city and state.” It’s only 44 characters, and perhaps if you hadn’t been so angry and knee-jerk yourself, you would have taken the time to add the 19 you say you didn’t have the “time and room” to contribute to your own cause.
That tweet was in no way an isolated incident, either. You have a history of inflammatory and incendiary Tweets that do little but attract attention to yourself and make others feel uncomfortable and offended. Particularly as an employee of a publication that is supposed to be a clear, honest voice for the city and its citizens, you manage quite often to make a lot of people feel like you don’t particularly enjoy being here. And I feel bad for your employer if they have to continue to fight off the idea that you do not enjoy your time here very much.
As for the “we get the government we deserve” bit, I do not contend that Chicago and Illinois elected representatives are put in office by voters. But I will contend that many times the voters are getting sold a bad bill of goods. Would you disown and disavow a friend who discovered the person they were dating was abusive the hard way? I would hope you would sit beside them, supportive and loving, as they tried to figure out the best way to extract themselves from the relationship and move on with the safe comfort of their friends and loved ones around them. So I would suggest that you judge Chicago and Illinois voters not only on their votes, but on how they act once it is clear that the guy they’ve been living with for the past few years isn’t going to stop giving them bruises.
If you love the people and opportunities of this place so much, start acting like it, and stop making people feel as though all you’re out there to do is push your own agenda by using Windy Citizen and the Daily Daley Twitter account to excuse your offensiveness and ill manners.
Oh, and I'm sure this wasn't your doing, but I seemed to have some issues posting with my other email address...despite correct answers to the math question, I never was allowed to post something until I changed my email to a different one.
Should I cough and say censorship now, or wait until you claim it was a coding issue?
Kit, I'm sorry about the technical difficulties you are experiencing.
Trust me, there is no censorship at work here. I actually have very little technical know-how. I simply research, write and post. Other people handle the technical elements so I can fully and confidently assure you that there's no ideological motivation, at least not on my part.
Hi Kit.
It's a coding issue. As the code guy, I apologize for the inconvenience and would appreciate your help in getting the problem fixed. If you shoot me an e-mail (windycitizen @ gmail) or send me a direct message on twitter at twitter.com/bflora with details I can take a look and we can figure out what's going on. Thanks.
Kit, you are entitled to your opinion just as I am entitled to mine.
I stress the word "opinion," because that's exactly what you and I are expressing. And while there are people who undoubtedly agree with your way of seeing things, there are also many who do not. This is often hard to come to terms with and I've struggled with it myself. But come to terms with it we must or we lose the ability to have open, honest discussions about issues that concern us all.
Please remember that what is "offensive," "ill-mannered," "inflammatory," or "incendiary" to one person is not to another. And while there are some universal norms, even those vary to some degree. I hope you believe you are speaking out in favor of civil discourse. But do you see how labeling my remarks as incendiary, etc., you are actually trying to stop the discussion? That being the case, I'm not certain that your goal is to have a discussion. Your goal seems to be to say you are right and no one should argue and that's the end of that. Of course, I sincerely hope I'm wrong about that.
As regards the voters being sold "a bad bill of goods" I couldn't agree more! As another famous saying goes "Buyer beware." This means that the responsibility is placed on every individual buyer, voter, etc. On this we agree: the voters are often not being respected by their elected officials before, during the after an election. My point, and I hope you agree, is that this is problematic and it needs to change. But I feel that the change needs to come from the bottom up, not the top down. Meaning, we should not seek a change from our elected officials. We should seek a change from ourselves by taking an active role in learning about public issues, learning about candidates, reading different sources and opinions, etc. We should not confine our attention to a candidate's website or one local daily newspaper. We should not thoughtlessly take the advice of our parents, friends, neighbors, unions, book clubs, celebrity pundits, etc. We should all strive for true, independent, un-influenced thought.
Sorry not buying it. You said you hated the city and state PERIOD. There was PLENTY of room to say in 140 characters that it's the government of the city and state that you hate. . Nice backtracking about your love of the city’s people and culture though. Also, pretty candy ass to say “it's also a bit unfair to hold [you]" to comments you make that are 140 characters or less. 140 or 1400 you say ‘em you gots to live with them.
Sherilyn, I wasn't backtracking. I stand behind everything I have ever said and written. I wasn't trying to excuse it. I wasn't trying to sugarcoat it. I was simply explaining.
Yes, I could have put the word "government" in that tweet. Yes, I could have been less direct. Yes, I could have have just kept my thoughts to myself. But I have been writing here 5 days a week for over two months and because this is publicly published material for anyone to read, I feel I have a duty and responsibiltiy to sometimes express publicly what others might only say privately.
I hope you can be understanding of that and continue to read and engage here. Please do hold me accountable. Please do point out anything you feel is an error. Please do share your sincere and honest thoughts and opinions. I welcome them always.
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