dbigtex56

was it Shanhai Reds?

And is that why so many gay men pretend to have a thing for Judy Garland...so people will think they're straight? Rosie likes Tom because he's such a Ken doll.

Yeah, that buffoon Barbara Walters is just a flash in the pan... If Rosie was just a money-grubbing whore, she would have remained closeted and kept her talk show. Apparently values and integrity matter to her, and I think that's admirable. Although I often disagree with her, I never doubt her sincerity. On the other hand, Kelly Rippa is as vacuous a little airhead as has ever disgraced the airwaves. Homophobic? Nah. Just prissy and annoying and not terribly bright.

I never, ever ride in a car without fastening my seatbelt. This is a habit which my parents ingrained in me at an extremely early age. Apparently your son didn't have that advantage.

"Won't see"? The changes are already undeniable. And make no mistake, this isn't "climate change" - it's global warming. Or maybe those disappearing species are just playing hide-and-seek as a joke? So far as consensus about an impending ice age among scientists in the 70's and early 80, there was none. It was a hotly (if you'll excuse the term) debated topic. But no legitimate scientist discounts global warming. The evidence is overwhelming.

I'd recommend The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs (wikipedia link). Pragmatic and insightful, she had little use for the heroic posturings so prevalent among architects and city planners in the mid-20th century. Had more people listened to her, we might have been spared the worst ravages of urban renewal (from which many cities have never recovered.) Many of her conclusions seem quite obvious now, but this was radical stuff in 1961, and still pertains to city planning and development. From Bauhaus to Our House by Tom Wolfe is more fluff than substance; but still, it's a great conversation starter, and amusingly written. Also, it can be read in one sitting.

Montrose got its name from a book by Sir Walter Scott, A Legend of Montrose. No particular significance - the developers just thought it was a nice name.

There's mention made of a type of scorpion (the vinegarroon) in the Tin Can Alley thread. (Tin Can Alley was on the northwest edge of downtown Houston, near Buffalo Bayou.)

Yeah, great place. Does it still close at 7pm?

How does one forsee something that has already happened? The invasion began in March of 2003.

Quite a feat, considering that the first commercial oil well was drilled in 1859. People don't worry much about running out of something they never had.

Is it St. Andrews (I think that's the right name)? Southwest corner of W Alabama & Woodhead?

Unfortunately, CVS has the cash to impose this development on Houston. Local alternatives have little chance to compete.

Do you think they may have modeled the fenestration after Moe's?

uh....that was me. No disrespect intended - I think it's admirable that you take the Fourth (or Fifth, depending) Commandment seriously. The way I understood the option was that you should recognize that you can do only so much, and that your life and your family is every bit as important as your mother's. Sometimes there's no perfect answer. From what you've told us, I'm of the "You've made your bed, now lie in it" school. Some people just can't be fixed. Whatever you decide, take comfort in the fact that you tried.

Heard on the news last night that Finger donated these trees to the city, so apparently this is where his new tower is going up.

First New Orleans Po' Boys, then Diedrich's, then Helios, now this... Is every cool place in Houston under assault? If a buyer can be found to reopen the place, I hope they don't fix it up too much. Sometimes people scrub the charm right out. The Pig Stand allowed me to brag that my butt has occupied the same stool as Shirley MacLaine's. It was one of the settings used in The Evening Star.

Is it the old Amory?

Ditto on that question. Has her mental health been evaluated? Or was she always a mean person? If she's suffering from Alzheimer's that would explain a lot. It's an ugly, unpredictable disease. Try expressing your concerns to her physician. I'm not sure how much latitude he or she has in discussing her condition, but it's worth a shot. If she's mentally impaired, there may be legal options. IMO your obligations are as follows: First, yourself; then your husband; then your children; then your mother's pets; then your mother. (OK, you can switch the last two.) It sounds like your plate is already pretty full. Incidentally, your husband is a saint. Not everyone would allow you to entertain these ideas. There's an old expression "You reap what you sow." If indeed your mother is just a nasty person, I wouldn't poison my own home with her presence - especially with impressionable children at stake. She's an adult and responsible for her own actions. There's no reason you should be subjected to her contempt, mother or not. Tell her to cut the crap or she's on her own. IMO.

Or both. Keeps 'em guessing.

So, this is just what I heard... Wanted to stop by Helios tonight; it was sealed up like a drum. Stopped by the place next door: I'm told she's had enough and has closed down. This strikes me as bad news. Helios was one of the more attractive assets of Houston...IMO.

Red, could he be referring to the "Romeo and Juliet" laws in effect in some states, where juvenile offenders are kept off the sexual offender lists? There's an interesting article about it here. This raises another question: should juvenile offenders be allowed to attend school? Because if they do, they may have to wait at bus stops....

I'd care if it prevented me from being able to help someone in case of an emergency (or vice-versa.) If I'm having a heart attack, I don't want to hear "

Could this be it? If so, it's the 1877 tall ship Elissa, which is docked in Galveston.

Editor trumps moderator. Since the editor's attention has already been drawn, he is the arbitrator. We're pretty much just his minions.