CHICAGO

I think that when it comes to high and almost mythical drama there is no city in America like Chicago.  When you look in the history books it's easy to understand what makes Chicago an even more powerful magnet than New York city. I think we should start from the beginning so let us talk about the great Chicago Fire. The Chicago fire occurred in 1871 when a fire started in the barn behind the home of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary. The fire and how it started is a bit of a mystery but most people like to credit one of the cows in the O'Leary barn. The fire left at least 100,000 people homeless and 200 million dollars in property damage which is an unbelievable number even by today's standards.

It's also fair to bring up the power of organized crime in Chicago. The Valentine's Day massacre and the mythical figure known as Al Capone come to mind as synonymous with Chicago folklore. It's also interesting to note the 1919 World Series scandal surrounding the Chicago "Black" Sox. There is also the controversy of the 1960 presidential election and alleged voter fraud in favor of JFK. Today Chicago stands tall as a metropolis as it is a recognized international hub for stock trading, fine dining, and cosmopolitan living. Yet even today Chicago has something that gives it the almost mythical yet negative attention it does not need.

As of January 26th there were some 5 reported gun deaths within several hours of one another in Chicago. Last year Chicago's death by homicide count reached and surpassed the number 500. It's sad that this type of thing is happening but truthfully it's a reflection of the times that we are living in. Maybe at some point in the future there will be that period of calm where what's happening today will simply be a memory of more violent days gone by.