VelvetJ

Tom Delay.......A dirty wolf cloaked in the guise of morality and Christian values. But what was so stunning was the amount of people who were blinded to his actions by those labels. Yeah, a moral Christian man who developed a reputation that garnered the nickname "The Hammer". For so very many reasons, I say Good riddance! By the way, Maxconcrete am I correct in thinking you have a pretty significant interest in Houston Freeways?

I think this is a wonderful idea, particularly if Tillman is able to proceed with his plans for the Flagship Hotel and pier. I have found from talking to family and friends, co-workers and strangers alike, that many of them would visit Kemah, Galveston, etc., more often if it were not for the commute and traffic. And although most of these same people have told me, "I wouldn't ride a bus from the Woodlands to downtown but I would ride a train from the Woodlands to Downtown", I think they would be open to packing up their beach bags on a weekend and riding a bus from the Woodlands mall down to Galveston and using their trolley system to get to the Strand or to the Seawall, or catching a shuttle to the Moody Gardens/Schlitterbahn complex. With a $5-7 ticket price per person for round trip, I think it has potential to be really popular, particularly in the Summer.

Wow indeed. That looks cool. I'm one of the one's that was actually aware of the large number of Texans going to Colorado. I'm not really sure how this new facility in Dallas will affect that number but for those of us that just want to do a little skiing on a weekend without having to go out of state, this will be a great alternative. Go Dallas!!!

Yeah, it's always been my belief that the only reason Dallas and most other cities of the world built rail in the first place was due to cosmetic reasons. I mean that's the only reason I really want rail for Houston. Dallas focusing more on rail than on HOV lanes, what fools. Dallas sprawls just as much as Houston yet they were foolish enough to think that rail was a good idea for that city. I'm glad we were the smart ones. What was the point of building the 7 miles we have now since the form of transportation is not important? Couldn't buses do the same job as our current rail line? What a waste of my tax money. As I mentioned in my initial post, as well as a few other posters on this thread, we are TOTALLY against HOV lanes. That's why WE brought up the subject in the first place. ( for those that didn't realize it, that was all sarcasm) Zaphod, you are correct in Houston not getting a rapid transit system soon, as well as it shouldn't. Plus I think you will find that those that admire the appearance of the pics of DARTS system above, are very much aware of what is in store for METRO in the future and are not opposed to the current METRO plan, if no other reason than the alternative would more than likely be nothing at all. I PERSONALLY think elevated or underground in some areas, would be the BEST option for a place like Houston, but know that is not the reality of our situation. And for what it's worth, yes I would love to see a underground or depressed rail station in Houston, like in Dallas and most other cities of the world. Not because it will increase rider numbers but because it just looks darn good, on top of the trains being able to travel at higher speeds. There so sue me.

So just to make sure I have it clear, Judge Alex is filmed in Houston in the former Texas Justice studio at Faux 26 correct? So is Texas Justice still in production and if so is it filmed in another studio at 26?

^ Good grief, I actually agree with Jeebus on something? I totally agree. I have always been a fan of the idea of just rebuilding the shells of the buildings. September 11 was a large enough event for the shells to be the largest memorials in the world.

Let us pray.

Yeah, tell me about it. The "Conservative Thought" that has taken over Houston has retarded it in so many areas but particularly in transportation. When I first moved to Houston 17 years ago, I predicted that the longer we waited for the inevitable rail portion of our mass transit, the more it would cost, thereby making it more difficult to get. We are here. I still have yet to ride Dart, although I have been at a Dart Train Station (why I didn't ride is a long story), but I am very excited about what is going on with it. I am actually floored by how quickly it has progressed. I wish it all the success in the world, if no other reason than to slap Houston in the face with it's reality.

WesternGulf, I do understand what you are saying and agree with you. Believe it or not, I even have gotten my share of frustrations out of unrealistic comparisons to Atlanta, but I typically do not respond to them. I suppose that lack of responses have led to a perception that I think Atlanta is the epitome of all that Houston should be, which is far from the truth. I typically will compare Houston with Dallas and Atlanta on certain issues because like you stated, those cities are more comparable. But I would love to include Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, or any city in the conversation when in comes to making Houston the best it could be. That's what I love so about the new park coming to downtown. They checked around the world and found the best things about certain parks that would work here and are implementing them. I agree that a major issue I have is the amount of time it takes for things to come to fruition. Not in the sense that I expect 200 miles of rail within 2 years, but in that we seem to be slow in even getting the idea. Why is that? Why HAS it taken so long for us to realize that the entrance way to our city looks like a junkyard and should be improved? Why DID it take so long for our citizens to understand the ultimate NEED for some form of a rail system? How long WILL it take for someone in power to notice the incredibly rapid tree reduction happening on the north side of the city? When WILL our citizens get a understanding, of the concept that Houston can be more than just a place to do business? When WILL we realize the downside to allowing developers to run amuck in our city? There is so much potential in this city, I don't want us to screw it up. Midtown is such an opportunity. The Intermodule facility is such an opportunity. Since we don't have much rail and are one of the largest cities with so little, there is a wonderful opportunity to learn from others and do it correctly to make it fantastic. Will we? Highway 288 is such an opportunity. Will it look like the I-45 of today in 20 years? Honestly, our history, well at least since I have been in Houston, has created a bit of concern for me. I think even the common sense of those that disagrees with me on this site tells them that I am very much aware of what is going on in this city and how it is progressing. The fact that I have not said anything negative about the Pavillion, the new park, the design of 2727 Kirby, the urban development going in across the street from it, or the possible future of Rice Village, is my version of speaking very loudly in support of them. But after saying countless times that my criticism comes from a place of love for Houston, I feel I no longer should (well except for that one last time I just posted it ). Back to the topic of Atlanta, to be quite honest, for the past decade I have considered Atlanta to be sort of a little brother of Houston in a number of ways on certain levels. But I think sooner rather than later, it may be necessary to refer to it as our big brother......and the city competitor in me does not like that. On another note, those that have been aware of me over the past 6 years are very much aware of the bloody battles I have been in in defense of Houston, so those that think I criticize the city just for the sake of doing so, are way off base.

I flipped onto channel 2 this morning and I am now starting to wonder if they are going for a certain type of look.

Citykid09, I really enjoyed your review. I haven't been to Atlanta in some years now but I do try to keep myself informed on what is going on in that city for a number of reasons. I will openly admit there is part of myself that enjoys city comparison and the bit of competition that goes along with that. I also admit I feels a little threatend by Atlanta because of what it was, what it has become and where it is going. If there are any cities in this country that are similar to Houston, it is Atlanta and Dallas ( WesternGulf, that's why I personally never try to compare Houston to Portland, San Francisco, or San Diego). When it comes to the "new" cities Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta are on the same tier IMO. Though I'm sure most on this site will disagree with my ranking, a decade ago, I thought it was pretty clear Dallas was at the top, followed by Houston, and then on to Atlanta when it came to the cities. I'm starting to feel Houston and Atlanta will switch places in my ranking very soon. I agree that we could take some sound advice from Atlanta. Is that city perfect, of course it isn't. But no honest person can say there is nothing we can learn from what Atlanta is doing. That beltline that recently got approval that will take rail around their version of the loop was a great move. The proposal to turn the giant quarry along that rail beltline into the city's largest park was progressive. The light rail that is planned down Peachtree is fantastic. The sheer number of mixed-use developments that have made it past the proposal stage and are actually going up is truly impressive. The agressive ways that it competes is a quality that we seem to have lost our grip on. And last but not least, the way current developers in that city can seem to be able to find so much money to design and build such exciting buildings with a full conciousness of how it will reflect on the skyline as a whole, is a quality Houston was once famous for but no longer. This all really has nothing to do with leaving Houston or thinking it is the worst place to ever exist, as much as it puts a spotlight on how far we are behind in certain areas and what our future should be. If nothing else, this should make us want to persue improving ourselves even more.

Mister X you know, you are absolutely right. I had a whole speech typed out expressing my fear of Houstonians even caring about another park for the future, but in my gutt, I know you are correct. As someone who loves theme parks, I know we are really going to feel the absence of the park this summer and I only hope one of the local billionaires will feel it as well and at least begin a discussion with a couple of his/her rich friends about the possibility of another park opening in Houston in the future. I really wonder how Harris, Ft. Bend, Brazoria, or Galveston county residents feel about a county owned park? I would imagine Harris would have the most expensive land but I wonder about land in nearby counties where the land is cheaper. Or, is it possible for Harris county to purchase land in another county and run the park? A couple of hundred acres out 288, or out the Gulf Freeway, or up 59 north past Kingwood where there would be a lot of natural shade, would be ideal. Because building the park could be expensive, the park could start out small with a couple of major rides but annually add new attractions until a full fledged park is built. It's possible.

If anyone want to challenge Dan Patrick with a quesiton, ask him what was the last thing he disagreed with Tom Delay on? Now THAT would be a challenge for him.

Beautiful.

^ I've actually done that a lot Gary, so I suppose you will just have to do a search.

I vote for the contemporary design.

Was it? I found it reaching and empty. With Houston owning the title of 4th largest city in the country, should we really expect anything less than what worldlyman posted? IMO, he should have been able to post a whole lot more. Come on, someone is going to compare the L.A. celebrity scene with Houston by naming King's X, Sam Cassel, Robert Horry and Kenny Smith? Naw, you can't do that. And 3rd largest boating marina yeah, that you have to drive almost 40 miles to get to. Another thing is, by the time you get to some of Houston's amenities, you could have driven from Austin to San Antonio, so you may as well add San Antonio's attractions along with Austins when comparing to Houston. I will be the first to tell you Austin is overrated, but Houston is far more overrated in the eyes of too many of it's own citizens. Lastly, from experience, believe me when I say Austin is NOT a wannabe city in comparison to Houston. It has been my experience that there is nothing about Houston that most Austinites want or are jealous of. In fact I've been told they rarely even think about Houston, let alone want to be like it.

Not to mention the train passing all of those oil companies on the Katy. How would that look in the Oil capital of the world? It has always been my opinion that Houston seemed to have lost some of it's edge with the loss of Kathy Whitmire that we still have yet to regain. I am not saying she was the best mayor in the history of the city, but she seemed to have an ability to see the "big picture" moreso than some of our more recent mayors despite how popular they were. Because rail just doesn't appear overnight, I am a bit concerned we haven't been agressive enough on the issue, particularly on the planning of it for the future. It looks like Milwaukee has the right idea. Wouldn't it be cool to ride the train from Milwukee down to Great America and then on to Chicago?

They have started to clear the trees from the forested area across 249 from the Hewlett Packard (formerly Compaq) Houston headquarters, and it breaks my heart to see it. There was a time when I could see pictures of Houston on the internet or television and I could tell what part of town it was simply by looking at the vegetation. Those days are quickly coming to an end. Soon, north Houston is going to resemble the meadows of the southwest and far westsides of town and it's a shame. However the new regulations sounds like more good news than bad, so I will accept that.

This post was absolutel RIGHT ON!!!!!! Houston shouldn't really have anything to say about other smaller cities getting more money. WE put ourselves in this situation. It's time Houston got leaders with some legitimate VISION and it only magnifies the setback Houston suffered with the election of certain leaders of our past. I've said this many many times about how Houston always seem to be a step behind. We always seem to understand after everyone else has understood. We seem to have lost our "edge" on some issues and totally think like we are a small town. Dallas' progress in certain areas will only magnify our deficits in those areas, and rail is a prime example of that. Again, I say good for them.

Well I must also mention my satisfaction on the civility on this thread. Congratulations to everyone. Redscare, thanks for posting the stats but my argument wasn't about Atlanta or Dallas being one of the most visited places in the country with regard to tourist. So to be quite honest, I'm not surprised niether of those places are in the top 10. My issue was Atlanta and Dallas getting more travelers for leisure than Houston. Where the three are placed in comparison with places like New York, San Fransico, Orlando, Vegas, etc., is not my concern. They will have Dal, Hou, Atl, beat for a while even into the future I'm sure. Although I don't have the stats to back up my claim, I still believe Dallas and Atlanta get more domestic tourists than Houston. With regard to International, I must admit, I'm surprised Houston isn't ahead of both Atlanta and Dallas on that one. Because Houston is much more international in terms of population, I expected our numbers to be higher with so many international visitors visiting Houston because they have family here. Since I have been in Houston, it is MY personal experience that when people from other countries come to Houston it is not really for the city itself. In MY experience they have come here either because they have family here they are visiting, they have need to utilize the Texas Medical Center's facilities for health reasons, or they have come from Mexico for a day or two to shop at the Galleria. For the most part, I have rarely come across someone who have come here for leisurely vacation reasons unless, they were from smaller cities in East Texas or Louisiana. I typically have not come across many who have come to Houston because of it's attractions like some would do for say like a Chicago or Los Angeles. With regard to an amusement park, I don't think for a second that an amusement park is the key to our future. However, I do believe it is one of those things that can make a large Metro more exciting, particularly ones such as Houston that do not have established historic, or natural attractions. And a good quality Park could actually help define the area. People literally travel from around the world to visit Cedar Point in Ohio not because Cleveland is such a fantastic place (no offense Cleveland) but because the quality of the park and the rides is so high. I view a park in Houston like our rail in a way. Although it is currently only 7 miles long and it's purpose was to get people out of their cars, IMO when it opened, Houston's cool points went up a few notches. Now, whenever I see Houston advertised in any sort of way, that rail train is one of the first things that is shown. It's serves it's purpose but it is also just a darn cool thing to have, on top of it impressing visitors to the city, and a lot of that is soley based upon it's appearance. Because I do love Theme Parks, one of the first things I expect a large city that offers different entertainment options, is an Amusement Park. In fact I have come to almost expect very large cities to have one at least a reasonable distance close by. I kind of view it as one of those things large cities are suppose to have. Also, I had never been a fan of AstroWorlds location. I would LOVE to see a park out 288 or somewhere near Texas City on I-45. Hey, I am even a fan of a park one day possibly being built up 59 North not far from Kingwood because there would be a lot of natural shade for the park and planting trees for shade wouldn't be as big of an issue as it would for a park being built in an open Meadow or on a coastal plain. A park in Houston city limits, I say no. Not to mention it would probably be cheaper to build it in another county. Great Hizzy- I will try my best to stay on subject here. Although I describe myself as a bed-wetting Democrat with a liberal soul but possess a visible conervative streak, I hear what you are saying about the media. And as much as I would like to disagree with you about it, I can't. Unfair and misguided is actually how I would describe it as well, and I think you and I both know why that is. But, I do think there is something that we can do, however it will have to be a process that will take a little time. We can counter it with not only our current truth but with our future truth as well. OH CRAP, I have to go but I will continue this very soon. I will pick it up with my thoughts about the Wheel of Fortune when they came to Houston a few years ago and the image that was left from it. I will return.

I completely agree with the above statement. I think timing of the signal lights would be much more effective. I would also like to add another angle to this. IMO, many of Houston streets seem to naturally breed speed because of the design, including Milam, Louisiana, and Travis. We are talking about a situation where drivers are exiting a freeway onto wide, multi-laned, smooth, one-way, unobstructed (in terms of curves, or hills), straight-forward roads into and out of a business district. This may sound crazy to many but to a degree I almost expect red light runners on those streets. Take the newly re-done streets of midtown. It almost seems like there is a freeway going through that neighborhood. Wide roads clearly took priority over wide sidewalks for the people that live there.We are in a city where in it's current form, as a whole, was designed around the automobile. In other words, the car took priority even over human beings. Louisiana street through Midtown is as wide as some freeways in some smaller cities I have been to. We design our streets like this and stand in amazement at the agressiveness of the drivers on them. To me, it's like lighting the fuse, then getting mad at the dynamite. Like Travelguy stated, I don't think anyone is trying to defend someone's right to run redlights, it's just I think it's not enough to simply install cameras and marvel at the amount of red light runners, while counting the cash from the tickets collected. We have to ask ourselves some tough questions including does the city have a hand in creating situations where running red lights can occur so easily? I believe the forumer Escapee said, "to elevate yourself so that your convenience is more important than others' safety is just beyond me". Well Mr./Ms. Escapee, I feel the same way toward the city for allowing those streets to be designed in such a way where convenience took presidence over safety and pedestrians. I think like the Safe Clear Program, this is another classic example of one of my favorites sayings which says, "good intentions does not equate to being correct".

chuckling

WesternGulf and HoustonMacbro, check your PM's.