Ethanra

What do you all think about a musuem DT showing the history of energy and/or oil. I wonder if this could be a city project or if it would need to be done by private donors. How would some one present this idea to the city? Do they read our e-mails... IMO, this would be a new and exciting attraction to add to our DT, it would be a one of a kind visit..........

Beautiful city, no doubt about it. Houston DT should or could have been very similar, our DT now is buisness during the day, dinner and bars at night. Shopping is in the little to none category in DT Houston. I don't know if I am the only one but I often think and visualize if all the shopping, hotels, and offices that are in the uptown, and greenway plaza were built in the DT area to fill in all the empty surface lots, Houston would have had a very impressive walkable central part of the city with plenty of street front shopping similar to Seattle.

No matter want any city does not everyone will like it or be impressed. Many people like it here though, for example Peter Jennings, or Jim Rome. Bob Hope loved it here and brought it up on the Carson show before. Ask your self why Avery Johnson, Robert Horry, Mario Ellie and others players for other teams in TX still make their main home here in Houston. I know Houston needs to improve on many points and is improving on many areas. Our city is creating a nice momentum over the past five years. I don't mean to rant but your always so damn cynical and pessimistic in majority of your post I have read.

IF Houston does build a central station, what about a high speed train from IAH to it. People will be able to head straight DT then use the rail to get to almost every impt. buisness area in the city, even more areas after the university line is built. I used the Hardy Toll Road the first time in years to head home from the Woodlands and pictured a non-stop train from the airport to DT running along the existing lines. Any thoughts?

I would think Houston suck to if I stayed on the NE of town and drove to Katy Mills to shop. By the way, you live somewhere, not stay.

Does this mean the next rail line to be done by 2012 is on hold? I don't understand how Houston does not get any funding. Our ridership on the main street line has a higher person to mile ratio then other cities, and the number of riders rise every month. How does Dallas get the funding and Houston doesn't? The numbers don't match up..... TheNiche --We just don't have enough residential density yet to justify hundreds of millions of dollars of expenditure, and no amount of bus route bungling can change that simple fact. Your kidding me right? Try to gather facts before posting.

I thought the second phase was suppose to start by now...... The money was approved, right?.....Doesn't this project need to get started to be finished by 2012. Please what is the status....... side note... It seems like when I ride thr LRT I am the only paying. I see at least 70% of the people at all times of the day not paying. I don't think the honor system is working...

I drive all over the city for work, daily.... I have seen many projects rise with out a member of Haif bring them up. Their are two mid rise residential and an office tower going up in the up-town area. Also in the far west along Eldridge and Enclave their is a tower being built. I've seen cranes in the medical tower and DT with out any discussions..... Just a random thought.

Flemings has a very good steak but by far my favorite place for a steak is "Sam Buca". I also always order the three cheese mac, with it. Their rib-eye med. rare will literaly melt in your mouth.

I just had a conversation with a person who is very invloved with the island this past weekend during the "Dickens on the Strand" functions. They said there is a certain Mr. Trump and Tillman buying up property through out the insland and Kemah. They also said that this will be the only two places in the state gambling will be allowed. Would not be suprised to see casinos popping up during the next decade.

I network with a lot of people, a lot of them are gay men. Beleive it or not a lot of gay men are republican. Some factors are that they are self employed (nice living), educated, and usualy undertstand reality of life and are not blinded by hate. They form an opinion on many issues based on facts and not dwell on one manipulated area. As far as gay women I have dealt with, most of them have a chip on their shoulder and are blinded liberals except the few proffesionals, lawyers, reps of companies, that I have dealt with. Basicly over all you figure out if some one works hard for a living and doesn't ask for a hand-out or your work your way up to have a succesful life your Republican (not it all cases but most).

I almost 100% its 2 hotels that are 4 or 5 stories between briar forest and memorial just north of the Citgo building

Your opinion is based on what fact? Give me a break pal, who knows who has better looking women, their are beautiful women in every city...... I have been to a Mavs game and thought, wow their are a lot of women made out of plastic here, A lot of face and lip jobs. What a minute, here is an opinion Houston has beautiful South American women every where, beautiful white women, beautiful yellow-boned women. Dallas has basicly fake women who look like ____, and ghetto-hood rats. Houston by far has more beautiful women.

I never get the blue vs white collar thing. If I understand correctly, Dallas is more white collar, why? Isn't Dallas where we send most of our bills, and where a lot of collection agenceis are? Also some customer service offices are in Dallas. So Dallas has more debt and bill collecters, big deal, sure that is white collar. Houston has more egineers (can't spell today), aerospace workers, more custom home and construction buisnesses. I've heard theis jobs are considered blue collar. The difference is theis jobs make some real income $100,000 plus, the debt and bill collecters are usualy $30,000 a year millionaires. I wrote a paper on cities and money a few years back and I wish I had my sources in front of me but Houston has the most millionaires per capital and only behind NY in the total number. DFW has more of the top wealthy in the U.S. by far. But if you include Houston in with the costal communites and the Woodlands area (like Dallas likes to include FW and its suburbs to the west when it benefits them with pop and buildings etc...) Houston narrows the gap. Also DFW does have a higher GDP then the whole state of Florida. The bottom line is both Metro areas or Houston if you just want to include the actual city are huge power houses in terms of wealth and production.... Both cities have extremely nice areas and shops you just have to know where to go and not form an opinion by just driving down the highways. As far as where to live, Houston does have a true big city feel if you stay in the city core. The culture and the number of things to do are greater but once again you need to know what you are doing. (something I never knew about that my wife took me was "Shakespere in the Park" a few Sat. ago. It was pretty cool and fun, and I learned that it was the largest free outdoor theater in the U.S." If you want a big small town feel, Dallas is your place. Both cities are great, you can't go wrong with either choice. I read that the actual city of Dallas lost a pop. of 3,000 last year. Is this true? Also the avrg income of both cities are misleading. Does this include immigrants that have a cash job and show little to no income? I network a lot with the Asian and African communities and they all seem to have cash on hand and avoid writing checks to me. Just a thought..... One more thing about income....The blue collar workers that work along the port and in the plants east of the city, make good money. Most of them make 50,000 plus. I read a list of where you can make the most money and be a non-college graduate. La Porte, Texas City, Deer Park etc... were all on the list and had avrg incomes over $40,000 for the non-college graduate.

Sorry I meant New Rail Line. Whats the status of the new rail lines? Are they still studying routes? Is the money where it need to be? I thought I heard the construction will start in Nov. Can't find any info on this. Thankyou

Didn't Bush declare this storm a national disater two days before it hit land. Which empowered local gov't to prepare or do anyhting that was needed. Didn't local gov't not call Fema till the wee hours of Wed. morning and was their Fri morning when they started getting shot at. Isn't Fema still spread thin throughout FL and the last couple years have been two of the busiest hurricane seasons. Lastly didn't the LA governor refuse to sign power over to the national guard because she didn't want to feel powereless. More facts that people choose to ignore.

Typical Liberal, ____. Blaming anyone else but them selfs. How about a liberal mayor and a governor that didn't step up to the plate. Didn't have local teams prepared. How about a liberal gov't that got billions of federal money that was given for flood control but spent on other things. Try to gather some facts before blaming any one. The flooding didn't happen till Tues. and the rescue crews were called in as soon as the storm past. No one knows the path of the storm once it hits land, for ex. Allison. The rescue crews needed to be camped out far enough away so themselves or vehicles don't get trapped They were called back when punks were shooting at them and then the national guard was needed and called. The national guard would not be needed if theis people weren't acting like animals and had local gov't prepare them properly. As far as Bush playing guitar at his ranch the night of the storm, so what. Thats where he like to work from, just like FDR spent majority of his time in office at his home in California and NY instead of Washington. As far as this being racist give me a break. Its another method the media and Michael Moore are trying to manipulate facts. The fact is go to S. Miss. where some towns that are virtualy all white. Their are are dead white people on the street getting eaten by rats and vulters. Not a single media person or any help arrived untill Sat. Ask Biloxi, Gulfport etc.. where is their help. The difference is any discussion with a liberal they form opinions with out proven or any documented fact. They just manipulate any thing to cause an issue instead of helping a issue that is already their. Side note. To Micheal Moore, Instead of sitting their and writing a critical letter get of your fat ass and donate a single dollar from your millions or go down their and pass out water or anything and show some true compassion. I never agreed with Clintons points of view but since he has been out of office, him and Bush 1 have been an ultimate team in all forms and acts of humanity. Is trully a wonderful thing that theis two leaders have become true freinds and team mates in helping in all aspects of life.

Suprised no where here has blamed Bush on this as well. Oh wait, facts were actualy used in forming your opinions on this subject.

Some of my thoughts... This horrible tragedy and I can't fathem the way theis people feel but I have to say Houstons economy should get a boost, From the increased action in the port as weel as several conventions are already looking at Houston. Also companies are looking to move 100% here since some of them already have some offices located in the area. What a wonderful thing that so many people are steping up to help theis victims by donating cash, or opening thei homes to outsiders. I good idea which my family already did, is if you get points at a paticular hotel you can donate room nights to a family directly if they need a room. Opening the dome is a brilliant idea to relocate theis desperate people but does any one realize that it is a fact that half theis relocated people are criminals. Many of them are drug users of the street as well as rival gang members. The crime in Houston is going to sky rocket. In Baton Rouge they already exist looting and people are being rob in broad day light. I hope when the buses arrive HPD or the national guard are called to find a way to keep theis people under control. Lastly "where is the rest of the world" We give billions a year to foreign aid. More foreign aid then the rest of the world combined. Is it because the UN hates us? Is it because were a corrupt country who only thinks about our self? Thanks canada for all your help, at least send a rescue team. America keeps your economy going as you sit their and blame us for your gas prices. Thanks France our grand parents lost their life to save your pathetic country. Where are all the feel gooders like Bono or the Baldwins? Where is Ted Turner?, he gave a billion dollars to the UN, what about you own country buddy. Where is germany ?, to busy counting your food for oil money? Sorry but this part realy angures me more then anything. We don' need the money, just some man power. It would be nice if theis so called "Peace loving, help every one" countries lifted a finger to help. I'm helping only Americans now on, Next Tsunami victims aren't getting a dime from me. Starving countries, nothing. Buying American only. Saying all this I'm probaly in you eyes, dumb ass of the week, but its the way I feel. Thankyou Yankees million diollars Thankyou Bob Mcnair million dollars Thankyou Astros Thankyou any one who help theise American victims God bless them and may all our thoughts and prayers be with them.

LMFAO

Houston has several areas of shopping entertaining and eating. Maybe thats the problem. Theis other citeies have one established area for everything. Thats what I was trying to post before. The galleria, village etc... has to hurt DT being a hub for tourism. Which cities that have a "model" DT should we study? Sorry, 713to214, deffinately not Dallas. In my strong opinion I beleive the way we have several cores instead of the cores being built as one, like in CHicago, that is the problem. Maybe with light rail being added it would connect theis cores, creating more of an unity. Secondly, I don't think Houston markets it self as a tourist destination. First of all you ask some houstanians and majority of outsiders about our weather, they say "hot and Hotter" We all know that is retarted, We have 3 to 4 months of hot and 8 months of beautiful weather except for some close to freezing nights. Why doesn't the city try to sell the nice months. Houston needs a marketting department that can sell it great sides, as well as that can listen to opinions of what can be improved. For example, Look at Dallas it does a great job selling it self, people for the most part always have positive things to say about it before they arrive or ever been their. Side note- "Houston lacks Mass Transportation" What a joke!!! Just because we are in the beging stages of light rail how could any way say that. Houston bus system is run like a champ. Carries 200,000+ a day. Light rail 30,000+ a day. Third largest cab fleet in the nation, I know its not mass transportation but it helps if u need a short ride somewhere. Just because Houston didn't invest billions in a train system that doesn't work efficiently and loses millions apound millions a year, like Seattle, Dallas,Miami etc... DOesn't mean "Houston lacks Mass Transportation". We are blessed that the city took a step back and learned from other cities mistakes and IMO is building one of the most efficient light rail plans in the nation. If you look at the riders per mile and the expectation of the new lines it is amazing. Maybe we need to create a new chat and give an idea of what projects houston can do to improve its image and/or just to better it self. Thankyou

I never was trashing Houston buddy. I wasn't even comparing the two. I was just stating an opinion of maybe why Houston DT doesn't have many tourist as it could. Reason, the retail end is lacking. Why is it lacking, because the retail is already established around the galerria and the village. Please rerad my post. Thankyou

I disagree with majority of your post and how synical you normally are, but this post you hit it on the head. I agreee with you completely.