dbigtex56

"Going Up"! Cute, Bayou City Girl Still, since we have an existing thread going, I'm merging this one.

According to CNN, the Astrodome's schedule has been cleared until December. One hopes people won't be housed there for that long. While I'm glad that Houston is able to help victims of the flood, I wonder what sort of security will be in place at the Astrodome, and how freely the refugees will be allowed to come and go. Since Metro rail runs so close by, will they spend their days downtown? their nights? I'd be lying if I didn't consider that some of our new guests might be the same people seen looting stores on Canal Street, and what impact this will have on our community.

I caught a bit of the City Council meeting this morning,and Mayor White seems to be on top of things. He was saying that since people will be here for an extended period that we should find uses for their skills, so they don't feel like charity cases. I imagine he'll be quoted in later newscasts.

Gotta love that Totie! Link to a recording of Totie Fields. By odd coincidence, commentary by Bob Newhart!

Dammit, you were right.

Well I answered my own question. From the Clarion-Ledger: Landmarks like Beavoir, the final home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, are virtually demolished. The Davis home, built in 1854, has been reduced to rubble and a frame of a house. More recent landmarks like the President Casino also sustained heavy damage. The storm's surge moved the casino from the gulf across U.S. 90, crushing a Holiday Inn. More disturbing, the Hurricane opened the mausoleum at Southern Memorial Park, dumping caskets out onto the lawn. Link to full article

So much attention has been paid to New Orleans that these other communities seem to have been overlooked, even though they suffered as much or greater damage. I'm not very familiar with the area, but remember having seen Jefferson Davis's beautiful house outside of Biloxi. I wonder if it survived Katrina. Does anyone have pictures of these communities taken prior to the hurricane? edit: Here's a link to the website for Beauvoir, Jefferson Davis's house. Click on Virtual Tour for pictures.

Shhh! If the NRA gets wind of this, they'll be outraged!

Has anyone seen the 1947 movie New Orleans? Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong do the best duet of this song: Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And miss it each night and day I know I'm not wrong... this feeling's gettin' stronger The longer, I stay away Miss them moss covered vines...the tall sugar pines Where mockin' birds used to sing And I'd like to see that lazy Mississippi...hurryin' into spring The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the air I dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans When that's where you left your heart And there's one thing more...I miss the one I care for More than I miss New Orleans (instrumental break) The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the air I dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans When that's where you left your heart And there's one thing more...I miss the one I care for More.....more than I miss.......New Orleans (And it just keeps running through my mind....)

I recently saw a series on The National Geographic Channel about 9-11. Seems that even our military couldn't keep track of which planes had gone where, and the type and extent of the damage done - until a tech watching TV in the break room told them what he'd seen on CNN. Same thing during the first Gulf War. The military depended on CNN to keep them posted in real time about what was really going on. The media are performing a valuable service. Sure, some of the on-air personalities are jerks, but that doesn't justify restricting information about the current conditions in NO. The more eyes on the ground, the more informed the decisions made by officials will be. Would you tell the National Guard that they were required to share their provisions, or stay away too? The media are there to do a much needed job.

I get peevish about that, too.

If New Orleans is going to be rebuilt, they'll want to use the original bricks to make repairs.

I've been thinking about merging all the New Orleans threads, but since so many were created by the editor, perhaps that would be unwise... My 2

So which one won out?

So is Market Square the venue of choice? Last time (GHPA tour) I wore a nametag with the cryptic message H.A.I.F. which seemed to work (and if you want to be recognized).

Are there many Mods remaining in Baytown? When I moved here in '81, a friend took me on a tour of the Brownwood subdivision. In retrospect, a lot of those houses would fit the description of mid-century Mod, although they weren't appreciated as such at that time. Brownwood remains one of the most bizarre sights I've ever seen - houses with 3-4' berms built around them, and others with water permanently up to the bottom of the windows. They were roomy ranch houses, and not all that old (50's-60's?), but were doomed due to land subsidence and rising water levels. Eventually the remaining residents were bought out, the houses razed, and Galveston Bay allowed to take over the land. It's now a nature preserve. Does anyone have information about or photos of these Brownwood houses?

RedScare, I'm not denying that obesity is rampant. Further, I'm pretty much in agreement with the points you made. What bothers me about Trust For America's Health's website is that they don't show their work. What data did they gather, and from whom? And how were these data interpreted? I'm not saying that they're full of it, but they haven't proved otherwise to me. How much should be taken on faith? As an aside, I think we should be more concerned about the steroids we're pumping into our cattle than the steroids being used by sports figures. Unless, of course, you're a cannibal, or being breast-fed by an Astro.

"We have reached a state of policy paralysis in regards to obesity," said Shelley A. Hearne, DrPH, Executive Director of TFAH. "We need more and better data so we can make decisions to get out of the debate limbo in which we are stuck. We have a crisis of poor nutrition and physical inactivity in the U.S., and it's time we dealt with it." "We need more and better data...". (then why are you releasing a flawed study?) In other words:"More money, please." Whatever methodology was used to compile and analyze these data is not mentioned on TFAH's website. However, DONATE NOW is the first button one sees on their menu. Yes, there's an obesity problem. It has to do with a glut of money going to so-called researchers who are compelled to poop out this tripe on an annual basis, or risk lose their funding - and their jobs. As I've noted before, no one has knocked on my door and forceably weighed me. In fact, I don't know of anyone who's had that experience.

Perhaps breast implants, Botox, liposuction, capped teeth, lip augmentation, tummy tucks, hair plugs, et al just aren't shown off to their best advantage in houses that are original and have charactor. The contrast would be disturbing.

Not sure - got an error message to the effect that "more than maximum user connections" I've emailed the editor about it.

Perhaps a nude J-Lo vomiting water? I like some features of Market Square, such as the ceramic tiles depicting early views and historical information about Houston. I like the James Surls sculpture, but question if it's weighty enough to act as a focal point. (A history of the current design of Market Square can be found here.) Perhaps this is a bit corny, but I picture a traditional American town square, complete with a centrally located gazebo; sidewalks which cross both diagonally and at right angles (superimposed x and +); a low fence, a few trees and benches. Plain, accessible, easily maintained and versitile.

I still buy the Chronicle, largely because it's a source for local news, sales and coupons. I can read the New York Times online for free. Also, I'm compulsive about doing the crossword puzzle every day. A recent, unwelcome trend in the Chronicle is their earnest attempt to become 'hip' and cutting-edge. Let's leave the irony and sarcasm to the Houston Press. It's unseemly in the Chron. However, I will give them credit for occasionally publishing editorials which takes a stance; a few years ago they were unvarying models of blandness.

Especially the death that takes place.

So instead of a Hooters, how about a gay bar downtown? One that has some cross-over appeal, not just a meat market. I'm thinking perhaps a piano/sing-along place, like the late, great Briar Patch, or perhaps a show bar. Although 'drag' really isn't my thing, a lot of people (both gay and straight) seem to enjoy it. Not everyone is comfortable seeking out drag shows in the backstreets of Montrose, but I bet it would go over well in a more visible location.

And speaking of 'on drugs', anyone else catch this priceless W quote from a press conference a couple of days ago? "I understand the anguish that some feel about the death that takes place." What a lovely sentiment - but I don't see it on a Hallmark card anytime soon.