An introduction

Chicago is a wonderful city -- the greatest on the planet, if I may say so myself.

And I say that knowing full well its history of crime, corruption, petty partisan and racial politics and the stench that once emanated from the livestock being slaughtered in the Back of the Yards neighborhood but which now comes from the professional sports teams that dare to represent the image of the Second City.

Can anyone believe just how bad the White Sox and the Bears have become?

But I digress.

This is a new weblog, one that intends to try to become the Argus -- so to speak -- of the city of Chicago (unofficial motto: ubi est mea) and its surrounding area. Like the giant of Greek mythology who had 100 eyes, this site will attempt to see everything and try to put the newsworthy and interesting events taking place in Chicago into some sort of context for public understanding.

On occasion, there will even be events from the bigger picture (ie: outside of Cook County, Ill.) that will be worthy of comment, or perhaps trivial moments that are worthy of some introspection. Take it for what it's worth.

For those who wonder just what makes me qualified to make such analysis, I was a news reporter and columnist in Chicago, it suburbs and at the Statehouse in Springfield, Ill. for two decades. I think I have seen and heard enough to have some understanding about the people, places and politics that make up the Chicago area. Considering the budget cuts that make news coverage skimpier and more trivial than ever, I'd like to think this weblog can help serve a niche in the Chicago news market.

So keep checking this site out. I hope to be a semi-regular poster of news and analysis about the Second City (which is really third now and may very well drop to fourth sometime in my lifetime).

Chicago is the place where I was born and raised, and to which I keep returning even though I have moved away on a couple of occasions. If I can actually help some people better understand what is happening on the shores of Lake Michigan between Evanston and East Chicago, Ind., then perhaps I have actually served a useful purpose.

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