IronTiger

Two industries where it will really change is D&D type models and model railroading. Both of those have high costs (model railroading because of model complexities and not having a big enough base to lower the cost; D&D type similar reasons). To be honest, my first thought when there was 3D printing to make a little miniature city in a bedroom, with full color even better. Like Rudy, you could start with just a few downtown buildings...and then downtown...and then Midtown...and then the Texas Medical Center...and before you long, you have the Inner Loop and a good part of Uptown already done.

Probably not. Remember, Houston never had the race riot problems like so many other cities did, partially because it integrated early for the purposes of business. Here's a bit of an article quoting one William Lawson, an 85-year-old African American preacher for the Rose of Sharon Baptist Church in Freedmen's Town: %5Bsource%5D

By that definition, you'd be against the monorail project, the Charlotte light rail, and the Big Dig project, since those involved "corruption" in some way or another, as well as many other transit projects that may have benefitted developers or anybody else in some way or another, which would include the Red Line as well, since that benefitted developers along the line. Better scratch off that one, too. EDIT: Why am I arguing with you again? It's clear that any time I counter with facts, you just claim I'm "denying reality" or switching to insult mode, any uncomfortable questions like "If the Grand Parkway was instead a rail-based mass transit system loop but still backed by developers who would profit off of such a thing, you wouldn't have [said] a word," or "apparently all the studied experience you have with freeways is anti-freeway/pro-rail literature", or even exactly what I'm saying wrong are ignored. You attack actual research I do on subjects (like when I derive stuff from the Chron) while trotting out obviously biased articles that conveniently support your views, and lastly, it should be noted that before you counter with my "anti-freeway" accusation and call me "anti-rail", I would like to point out that I have never actually bashed rail in any way, not like you do freeways. I've questioned the effectiveness of rail in certain areas and have spoken out against rail in certain corridors, but I haven't actually bashed rail in any ways. Thanks IT

By the way, the old Bravos@Bingle is being torn down. What was it again? Jojo's? I want to say it's for the 290 widening, but there's some ROW that wasn't utilized yet as of the last aerial, and a new Carl's Jr. is pretty close to the frontage too.

Exactly what "reality" am I denying again? Yours? I know that Lanier and others made a lot of money off of the Grand Parkway, but it was rather open (everyone knew about it) but you and I know that isn't unique, not unless you wanted to accuse other projects of being "corrupt" and where others (would) make money, except under the table and not be exposed until months later after the deed was done. You've chosen to single out the Grand Parkway because it goes directly against your anti-freeway, anti-suburban philosophies. If the Grand Parkway was instead a rail-based mass transit system loop but still backed by developers who would profit off of such a thing, you wouldn't have say a word.

It's not corruption. Corruption as defined by dictionaries is "dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery". There was nothing fraudulent or dishonest about the Grand Parkway project. In fact, there are very few traffic/transit related projects, if any, that are truly altruistic. To note: - The monorail plan (which you seem to support) was derived from Whitmire's METRO board (the actual monorail plan nor its route were ever approved by voters), and Whitmire had connections with monorail contractors. - The Big Dig project was mired in corruption with certain contractors being awarded the contract and powerful politicians funneling federal money into the project. - The Charlotte light rail plan involved the mayor taking kickbacks in building and funding the light rail. Had Lanier and his pals taken illegal kickbacks unbeknownst to the public, then yes, it would be corruption. But it wasn't. Somebody always always profits off of any project, and Lanier was one of the people that did.

Ah, the old correlation-causation/crummy use of statistics article. Now, if you'll believe that, I have a study showing that pollution is caused by voting the Democrat ticket to show you.

The defense rests, Your Honor. But seriously, the fact that Lanier did profit from highway construction and other projects is true. And if you read my last post, which you apparently didn't, does state that. However, Lanier left the highway related offices by the late 1980s and the Grand Parkway we have now involve years past that date. Lanier has no more influence on it than any powerful rich businessman does, which is of course what many have done, and frankly, the fact that this "developer interests" idea was openly transparent in the mid-1980s (read: not a conspiracy) and the idea still carrying (including voters' interests, as a 2001 Fort Bend County election did) meant that the Grand Parkway still has worth after all.

We've had discussions comparing DART to the Houston METRORail before, and it ends up becoming the same topic with the same arguments after a while. Friendly reminder: in the early days of HAIF, people have gotten banned for rather heated Dallas/Houston "debates", which undoubtedly involved the DART. Don't be one of those guys.

What I was arguing was the ridiculous assertion is that the Grand Parkway was primarily built for developer's interests, which, like any good lie, has an element of truth to it. In reality planners in the 1960s anticipated that the sprawl would eventually reach that point anyway, and as for the plan revival in the 1980s, politicians that didn't have any interest in real estate still supported it, otherwise it would never have gotten off the ground. An article from the Houston Chronicle ("Lanier checks conflict laws following flap over parkway land", February 27, 1986) lists several key facts: 1. Lanier's land was in the northwest segment, at the time, the Grand Parkway route wasn't set in stone and no one knew if the GP plan would actually go through it. 2. Lanier said he never voted on the plan that would involve his land. 3. The Grand Parkway Association was acknowledged to have developer interests, it wasn't some deep-pocketed conspiracy. Another 1991 article explains that Lanier did use his influence and did profit in land holdings and highways, $10M worth (most of that was related to Highway 249). Was it wrong to do that? Maybe. Was it illegal? Nope. Was he solely responsible for the Grand Parkway? Nope. While it may benefit the people living in the far outer belt (hell, I'm not using it everyday, if ever) it does benefit the region as a whole, just like the Red Line extension that opened the same day as the Grand Parkway segment between Katy and Cypress. Outer loopers (and many inner loopers) don't use the rail, but it is a benefit to regional mobility as a whole.

Admittedly, the book was written over a decade ago, so the bit about funding may have been compromised. Never the less, the Grand Parkway was planned years in advance for the sprawl that would eventually reach out to that point, and it has. Sure, some people benefitted off of it, but couldn't that be said about every project?

Well, I think one of the main things that atheism has going against it is a lack of distinction between atheism and antitheism, and believe it or not, that really tends to divide an already somewhat small group. A small test to determine is if you think God simply doesn't exist and don't care what others think, or do you try to mock and belittle those that do while trying to trot out proof that God doesn't exist? Antitheism would be the latter one, while atheism tends to be the former, though both go under the atheism label. I also believe that an "Atheist Club" is rather negative-sounding because it IS negative. Think about the abortion issue: both sides like to think that they're "pro" something, whether it be "pro-choice" or "pro-life". While you may roll your eyes at at least one of these labels, they at least choose to make a positive image either way. No one brands themself as "anti-life" or "anti-choice", they choose the positive.

I'm genuinely curious if the reason you have this anti-College Station/Aggie view is because you have some unrequited grudge from your college days or if you have some sort of "Inner Loop Master Race" mentality that somehow enables you to ignore all of us suburban peasants. Anyway, for what it's worth, Lanier did support the Grand Parkway in his tenure as Highway Commissioner but his donation of land was controversial, even in the 1980s. However, the Grand Parkway was actually built years later, long after he had left office. The tract that he owned was in the northwest area (that part isn't drivable yet, even after these years), and most of what really set the Grand Parkway as we know it was in the late 1990s. Lanier was of course a politician and had many other roles in his Houston-based career. He was chairman of METRO in the late 1980s, too, and we all know that the 2004 lines weren't involved with him either way, because the modern Grand Parkway and his connection with it really became irrelevant even in the late 1990s. Finding facts is about researching them, not deriving them from coincidences, and research isn't ignorance in the least.

Uh, no. I have to laugh at your assertions about feeder roads and highways, since apparently all the studied experience you have with freeways is anti-freeway/pro-rail literature. As much as you'd like to think that the Grand Parkway was an evil plan created by Rick Perry, Tom DeLay, Bob Lanier, and John Culberson, the Grand Parkway has been in the planning books since the mid-1960s (and named as such) but was axed in the 1970s due to funding concerns. The modern Grand Parkway was indeed re-created by developers with donated land but the state caught on and forced the people in real estate interest off of the "Grand Parkway Association", which was pushing the Grand Parkway to be built and be back on the map. And that was in 1986. It took nearly another decade to get just the first segment built. It is worth noting that the Grand Parkway was never designed with frontage roads to reduce the commercial clutter, as without it, there would've been wide arterials with strip malls and stoplights (like FM 1960), and that despite being tolled, it is being done with local funds, by way of HCTRA doing the duty rather than TxDOT. (source: Houston Freeways, which has its own citations) Meanwhile, the reason why 288 doesn't have rail, and we've discussed this before, is that METRO doesn't extend into Pearland and due to tax laws, even if Pearland wanted it, they can't give the METRO tax that it needs, and frankly, using METRO funds to build rail to Pearland might get some resistance in the more urban areas, where METRO is having trouble enough in the Loop as it is.

Man, I thought this would be something involving the late sci-fi series starring Nathan Fillion. Bummer.

Apparently some people can't handle this and will pull out the pro-rail/anti-freeway card whenever they have an inch to put their foot in the door. Too bad, this went downhill quickly.

Kinda sucks there won't be room for rail, but that was never part of the plan (same with I-10, wishful thinking). I wonder if they're leaving space (potential) for building a five stack with Beltway 8 eventually.

They still offer pretzels, but they don't look too great. It was remodeled a few times, I seem to remember that in the not-too-distant past (2008), one was the main food counter and one was for desserts. By the way, apparently the IMAX name is gone, all references now in-museum refer it to as the "Wortham Giant Screen".

Based on your descriptions, I'm guessing it's more basement dwelling nerds than the free-thinking scientists you were expecting. You know, someone that at least looks like a certain YouTube personality, shown below. (Image from KnowYourMeme.com) Also, knowing my own experiences with a similar group of people, please let me post "I KNEW IT!!" if you do end up playing Cards Against Humanity.

Help me out here: I know there's a McDonald's inside the Houston Museum of Natural Science (and frankly, kind of surprised there is still one) but I am curious of a few things. When I went to the museum in 2000 (and a few subsequent trips), it offered shaved ice (actually, just snow cones) and I seem to remember some sort of planet-themed meals as well exclusive to that McDonald's. Does anyone know when the McDonald's opened there, what sorts of things else it had, and when those things went away? Thanks...

The Red Line, ideally, would be tunneled/depressed from Holmes and Fannin to Reed and 288, that's how you would get light rail in. A real commuter rail would ideally go through the Columbia Tap Rail Trail, but reception seemed to be pretty negative even when that was proposed in the early 1990s. Of course, there would be some slow down as it starts street running, but it's not too long until the TMC.

I know that TX-288 has a super-wide median and was designed that way, but it was designed for express lanes when it was built. Still, the 100 ft./30 m. space seems to have a lot of potential either way and a lot to the imagination. So, what would you do? While making it a six lane super highway in both directions with two elevated HOT lanes might be the "du jour" way of making highways, I would like to see two HOT lanes in each direction and an extension of the Red Line down to Pearland. Any extra space would be used for shoulders. That said, what would YOU like to see in the median? More lanes? Rail-based transit? HOT lanes? A lane for the daily Pearland/Houston bike commute? (Just kidding. Maybe.) Spare me the blubbering about politics and please don't attack others' ideas...this is mostly for fun.

Hear that? It's the sound of 50 million dollar bills flushed down a toilet.

I really think that an alignment that goes to Bryan-College Station is still important and will be more important in the future assuming that growth patterns hold. That doesn't rule out commuter rail to The Woodlands, either, and I would like to see light rail to IAH (my idea involves rails between Hardy Toll Road, there's room).

Apparently the reason JBX tacos look like they do is because they were made, frozen, and then refried back at the store.