Chicago--The nation's third-most miserable city

I've withheld blogging about Forbes' listing of America's most miserable cities. Party because I've been miserably sick, and secondly, it's really only coming to me now how glad I am Chicago--which I live five miles north of--came in third place in the magazine's annual roll of dishonor.

Corruption was added to Forbes' miserable-matrix, which partly explains Chicago's entry into the top ten. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a Chicagoan, was removed from office last month by the state Senate. Within city government, the prosecution of the Hired Truck Scandal by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has led to dozens of convictions.

Corruption is expensive. Higher taxes are the end-result, which is why Chicago pays the nation's highest sales tax. That figured into Forbes' figures.

Welcome to the miserable city list, Chicago.

But the skyline is pretty, isn't it?

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