The Big Cat

The ones that Chicago gunmen are affiliated with, in large part, and in the traditional sense, no. In fact, some of the exist to help kids get to school safely.

Yes, the guy who made the 15 urban-mile trek to my neighborhood only to get lit up by another 19 year old was most certainly involved with a "gang" in some capacity. And I'll accept your critique thusly: I was wrong to say it's not "gang-related." You're right, it is. The problem with calling it "gang-related" is that it conjures this image of organized crime, when "gangs" nowadays vary in their scope, their hierarchy, goals, etc. to the extent that when everything is a gang, then nothing is a gang. And more accurately, that's where we are. Does this make sense? I get defensive about topics like this on this board because my prejudice against this board is that it's a lot of middle-aged white armchair experts who talk a lot of **** about things they know nothing about. That's a me problem. I tried to couch the conversation against blaming "gangs" assuming that there wasn't a nuanced understanding that "gangs" in this case are something other than crime syndicates, that the posters here don't understand it's much more complex than that. That was unfair of me. But the notion that our violent crime statistics reflect some citywide wild west-like capone-era brother against brother blood in the streets chaos...that's just false.

Well, you just left, and every day I deal in the politics of solving the issues facing our ward and the city at large. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Yeah, it's a great city, with severely bad pockets--most notably the west side. I **** you not, it's a !@#$ing DMZ in some parts over there. There is so much to love about Chicago, but right now we're working to overcome the systemic failures that have simply left parts of it forgotten.

As an employee of Chicago's City Council, I feel obligated to jump in here. It aint gangs. It's hyperconcentrated economic and racial segregation. Chicago is a nice city with REALLY bad pockets, one of them is about a quarter mile from my home. The guy who was shot there last weekend was up visiting from the city's south west corner (I live five blocks north of Wrigley). Also, we always have a spike in gun violence the first weekend of the month because it's those Fridays when the unmarked cargo vans with the Alabama plates park in the middle of the streets, open up their back doors and let any passerby help himself to crates upon crates filled with weapons. The problem would be a lot easier to manage if these idiots were shooting each other over something tangible like gang turf or drug corners. Nope. They're just shooting each other (thankfully they're horrible marksman). And let's not pretend like the problem is having a significant impact on innocents, either. A lot of these guys (black, ages 18-22) have no idea who shot them or why. Yeah...right. We've had shootings in our ward this year, some of them fatal. One was because some girls were beefing on facebook. At least two others were drug deals gone bad. Fortunately, we've actually been able to prevent some shootings...because the numbskulls take to Twitter BEFORE they go light up their homey, and we can figure out where they're going to be and when. Anyways, it's crazy, but you have to believe me when I say it's not as crazy as it looks on paper (hard to believe though that may be).

yeah, no

Same guy who was taking bong rips with Phelps?

You're not wrong, but you're missing some key points and arriving at the wrong conclusion, I think. Just because soccer's popularity hasn't hastily closed the gap from 1967 until now, doesn't mean that momentum isn't building...it is. Something everyone knows: a **** ton of American kids play soccer. So much so, even, that it is BY FAR the most popular youth sport. Something most people intuitively known, but I can verify (because my wife works for the US Soccer Federation): the attrition rate after players turn 14 is RIDICULOUS. It falls off a !@#$ing cliff...fast. BUT...the sport has been steadily chipping away at the attrition rate, and said chipping is beginning to accelerate. Why now? Because young people have way more access to the sport than anyone's had since 1967. The English Premier League now plays on NBC Sports. International players are now household names known amongst today's youth. Also contributing to the sport's growing popularity: the rampant success of the FIFA video game. But a real indication of the tipping point? Social media (of course). Young fans are more engaged with the USSF/MLS on twitter and on other forms of social media than they are with any other major sport. The concussion issue will help soccer gain on football, but whether it overtakes the sport's popularity in our lifetime is highly unlikely. But make no mistake, it's definitely closing the gap, and it's happening faster than it ever has before. Will it overtake hockey? Could. Baseball? Definitely possible. Basketball? I have my doubts. Football? Only if the concussion issue really does take a serious chunk out of youth participation (which is most certainly might). So, hop on board, y'all. In the 1950's everyone shook their heads when my great grandmother told everyone in earshot that the only people left playing baseball would be blacks and Hispanics. Don't be the guy who says "soccer will never happen in America."

Yes. Alone time during Game of Thrones. Don't talk about my wife's kitty like that.

Haha, I actually considered that winning the AFCE would be too much of a runaway favorite to make for a good poll (I was right).

Or soccer for that matter. I'm not suggesting everybody needs to be a fan. But the American talking points on why soccer BLOWS have worn pretty thin, they've been by and large dismissed and for Americans born after 1990, they fall on deaf ears. When I hear someone roll them out I just go blank. Ignorance, aint nobody got time for that. Better start swimmin, or you'll sink like a stone. (I voted for the Bills choice)

She was diagnosed about three years ago or so. Was living well, thought the worst was over, had just gone through a "we're going to get married even though we know one of us will probably die soon" ceremony, and a few days later that was it. Others are blaming antibiotics. http://www.npr.org/2014/04/14/302899093/modern-medicine-may-not-be-doing-your-microbiome-any-favors

You compiled a list of exceptionally difficult contests which require rigorous training and coordinating?

My anecdotal knowledge of pancreatic cancer is the same as yours. As for liver...I just lost a friend to it about a month or so ago. She was 28.

Okay...except if the USA won...WON...the World Cup, it'd be a big !@#$ing deal. Here and throughout the world.

This may get bumped to OTW, but until it does: With the soccer team out, fervor has subsided. But if you had a choice...

I can't bring myself to rain on my wife's love of her. It's one of the few things I let her have. So, I will be watching this movie.

You read Philip Roth? Plot Against America?

Why didn't they just tell the tale of the 12 labors!?

No room at the IN

Surprised?

Anything which has been decreed "Classic 80's" Tainted Love Hungry Like the Wolf All that ****

Encino Man

top 100 is based on previous year's performance Byrd didn't do much to warrant the ranking, imo is tender foot certainly didn't help

James--Laid

Gene Hackman. Good call. Dennis Hopper get some love?