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I meant to post this a couple of months ago — a new store has opened up next to Day 6 Coffee. It's ostensibly a convenience store, but its primary business appears to be electric scooter rentals. The windows are all painted black, which does eversomuch to enhance the vibrancy of downtown Houston, and make the business seem totally legitimate.

This is on the retaining wall facing Yale Street. I couldn't find the official name of this strip mall, but I'm sure someone on HAIF knows.

August 19th:

Bees and flowers on a shipping container at Buchanan's.

I'll take it. More choice is often better. I love Phoenicia, but would also like an option that isn't themed on a particular region. Sometimes you need 19 types of olive oil. Sometimes you just need toilet paper. Unfortunately, District Market doesn't cut it. I went there recently, and for two basic turkey sandwiches and a can of coffee beans, it wants almost $70. I walked out. I went back a week later because I needed coffee creamer, and everything else walkable (Phoenicia, CVS, GhettoMart, SuperGhettoMart) was closed. It turns out the pricing wasn't a fluke. 32oz half-and-half (HEB) from HEB: $2.70 32oz half-and-half (Sysco) from District Market: $9.74 Yes, I just looked up my receipt, and $9.74 is not an exaggeration. I don't mind paying a premium for the convenience of location and the hours District Market keeps, but a 260% difference is not reasonable. I guess that's why in two years of walking past, I've only seen maybe six people in that place.

Perhaps it's an issue of math. Every one of us makes mistakes, has memory lapses, and other brain farts. Let's say it happens to an ordinary person 0.1% of the time they speak. Politicians speak 10x more than ordinary people, so that becomes 1%. SJL speaks 10x more than most politicians, so her error rate becomes 10%.

It's possible that the Galleria worked an exclusivity clause into the lease. It happens. Something like not being able to open another store within x miles of the leased space in exchange for $y rent reduction, or some other perk like covering renovation expenses. It happens. Business is messy. I wonder if in some cases, the store-in-stores are a way of getting around that limitation.

Someone who works in the Galleria told me that LV and Gucci are each going to have two locations. But he couldn't speculate about why. Also, this person has about 60/40 success rate with predictions about the Galleria, so don't take it as Gospel. As for Prada, he says the location next to Creed is temporary while a new, larger store is being built.

It looks like Velasco was built along a railroad right of way. I wonder if the reason the city can't abandon it is because some railroad retains the right to re-track it. This is occasionally a problem with rails-to-trails projects. People think a railroad is abandoned, and ripe for conversion, but to the railroads, these are just dormant assets that can be reactivated when the need arises. In Chicago, there's one point where a cycling path has to share space with a freight line over a bridge. Fortunately, the trains are infrequent and very slow, so everyone has lots of time to get out of the way.

I watch a show on NHK called Japan Railway Journal, and in a recent episode they explained that the main reason Japan can't run trains faster than they currently do isn't because of anything involving the mechanics of the trains or the tracks, but because of the noise they generate at higher speeds. According to the show, the focus right now on many of the HSR routes in Japan is noise abatement so they can speed up the trains. Not applicable to Texas, but I thought it was interesting.

I know it's a fantasy in Houston, but this is a solved problem: Tunnel. You run surface BRT on the western part of Westheimer, and then run it in a tunnel when you get inside 610. That's what they did in Seattle, and it works great. I've used it hundreds of times. It started with just city buses, but now city buses, commuter buses, and light rail use it. It acts like one long intermodal transit hub. One end even connects to the monorail, the street car, and the Greyhound station. I don't have access to my full photo archive right now, but here's a few pictures: I know that every time anyone on HAIF uses the "T" word, someone pipes up about how it would never work in Houston. Completely forgetting that Houston already has not only a pedestrian tunnel system, but also a vehicle tunnel that somehow work fine; and that there are cities with far worse water infiltration problems and a lot less stable earth that somehow make tunnels work fine.

While it's trying to make improvements as fast as it can, Metro is a generation behind on a lot of things, especially is bus shelters. It's very proud that it is finally putting in covered bus shelters in some locations. Yay. Welcome to 1973. But the vast majority of Metro's bus stops are nothing more than flimsy metal signs. It would be great if Metro would skip ahead to today with its new shelters, but that would probably entail leaving a lot of bus stops with no shelter at all.

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You can still get a good deal on quality low-mileage mules in the Houston area. The Bureau of Land Management rounds up feral horses and mules in California and Nevada and offers them for adoption all over the country. The BLM was up near Conroe or Spring or somewhere a couple of weeks ago unloading some.

Here's a question for you amateur (and professional?) HVAC engineers out there: In my personal situation, which uses less electricity: Running the central air conditioning, or using a ceiling fan? No matter how humid it gets, I don't like turning the thermostat below 75°. So if it feels a bit warm, I turn on a ceiling fan i what ever room I'm in to make up the difference. But recently I've started wonder if that's the most economical solution. The conventional wisdom my whole life has been that ceiling fans are cheaper than central air conditioning. But there's a complication: I'm on Houston's downtown central chilling system. I pay a flat fee for access to the chilling system, so my variable expense is to the electric company based on how much the central air fan runs to spread the system's cold air around my home. When it gets hot, the central air fan will run for a few minutes until it brings the temperature back into range, and then turn off. Whereas, if I run the ceiling fan, it's on and using electricity the whole time I'm in the room. Is a central air fan more efficient than a ceiling fan? Especially if I only use the ceiling fan in the room I'm inhabiting at the time, while running the chiller fan lowers the temperature across the entire 1,100-square-foot apartment?

Metro has put together a section of its web site to explain urban design principles, presumably to people who think it's possible for Houston to build its way out of pollution and traffic jams. Linky My favorite part is the GIF on the front:

From Metro: New METRO Bus Shelters Pay Tribute to Independence Heights’ Rich History On June 30, METRO helped unveil the first four of dozens of new bus shelters designed in collaboration with the Independence Heights neighborhood. METRO partnered with Houston City Council Member Karla Cisneros, community leaders, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and residents to celebrate the vibrant community and its rich history. Independence Heights is a historically Black neighborhood located north of Loop 610 and west of I-45. In the early 1900s, it became the first city incorporated by African Americans in Texas. "At METRO, we strive to invest in communities that we serve," said METRO Board Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran at the ribbon cutting event. "We are honored to make this investment, but also help share these special stories of perseverance and of the pioneers of Independence Heights." Each bus shelter shares a piece of history and a QR code to encourage riders and pedestrians to visit the neighborhood’s website. At Airline and 34th, riders learn about Washington Stokes, an entrepreneur residents referred to as “the fruit man.” The Fruit Man: The METRO bus shelter at Airline and 34th highlights Washington Stokes, an entrepreneur known as “the fruit man.” The story of the three African American mayors of Independence Heights--George O. Burgess, O.L. Hubbard, and Arthur McCullough--are displayed at Main and 43rd Streets. Other shelters share information about the establishment of the community and the first school for African Americans in Houston, a two-room building that was moved to the community from neighboring Sunset Heights in 1928. "It is a project that has been a labor of love. When people are riding, they will see pictures of the first mayors, pictures of young people in the schools, pictures of the early businesses," said Tanya Debose, executive director of the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council. The four shelters are located at: N. Main Street and 32nd Street N. Main Street and 43rd Street Airline and 34th Street Yale Street and Cockerel Street METRO will continue to partner with the community for more designs, which will be installed over time. Lasting Legacy: “When people are riding, they will see pictures of the first mayors, pictures of young people in the schools, pictures of the early businesses,” said Tanya Debose.

For some reason, Metro has started sending me press releases. So here's this: METRO Rededicates Art Installation by Renowned Artist Floyd Newsum On Wednesday, METRO leadership, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, former State Rep. Garnet Coleman, State Rep. Jolanda Jones and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis along with community members celebrated the rededication of an art installation by renowned artist Floyd Newsum. "The Tower" was originally installed in 2014 at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Griggs Road along the METRORail Purple Line. After receiving feedback from Coleman and the Third Ward community, the sculpture was relocated to a more prominent area near that intersection and additional lighting was added to ensure the public can enjoy the piece at any time of day. "METRO's commissioning of 'The Tower' is an example of how public art can enhance the overall experience of public transportation, contribute to the identity of the transit system and the community that it serves," said METRO Board Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran. The installation is part of The Authority's commitment to urban design which focuses on the look, feel and function of public spaces to shape quality of life in the region. METRO's Arts in Transit Program aims to bring character into transit spaces with imagery that reflects community identity and the region's unique diversity. "Art deals with the human condition and public art makes sure that people know that their community is something they can embrace," said Coleman. "This enhances our city and it enhances our quality of life." A plaque was added to the platform of the piece, which reads: "This sculpture was created and installed as part of METRO's Arts in Transit program for the METRORail Purple Line. It embodies the spirit of rebirth and heritage. Pyramids are used to reflect a sense of revival and growth in the community." Along with commissioned sculptures near METRORail lines, METRO also built art into the structure of rail platforms and continually collaborates with the community to create a vision for new and existing transit surroundings.

I'd just be happy if Houston had a classical station. An actual classical station, not an internet feed from Minnesota on an HD2 channel.

There was a ceremonial groundbreaking for Metro's $5,000,000 Missouri City Park and Ride facility. Here's the press release: METRO, Community Leaders Celebrate Park & Ride Funding Secured by U.S. Rep. Al Green On Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, METRO Board Members and executive leadership gathered with U.S. Rep. Al Green, Missouri City officials, and NewQuest Properties to celebrate the $5 million in federal funding secured by the congressman and awarded to the Authority for its Missouri City Park & Ride. During the event, Green presented a $5 million check symbolizing the community project funding that METRO will receive. METRO Board Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran praised the congressman's efforts to procure transit funding and added that public-private partnerships are a win-win for everyone. "This is a great example of ‘Together, we can do more’ — to bring about safe and effective connections and mobility solutions for a growing population," said Ramabhadran. “Thanks to the efforts of the congressman to secure this grant, the Park & Ride in Missouri City will also bring transit to ongoing development." "This is a signifgicant step towards better transportation options in northeastern Fort Bend County," said Congressman Green. "What we are doing today will benefit future generations." Representatives from NewQuest Properties also attended the event. “We are thrilled to share this significant development that has come to fruition through the extensive collaboration between NewQuest Properties, METRO, the city of Missouri City, and Fort Bend County," said NewQuest Properties Partner Kyle Lippman. "It is our third partnership with METRO, and we are grateful to Congressman Al Green for his efforts to secure federal funding to support this initiative.” The state-of-the-art transit facility will serve as an anchor in Phase 3 of NewQuest Properties' Fort Bend Town Center, a mixed-use lifestyle center that will include housing, retail, and entertainment venues. Missouri City and Fort Bend area residents will enjoy greater access to public transportation including: a covered parking facility with 1,750 spaces a covered waiting area ticket vending machines real-time digital transit information restrooms Commuter services will run between the Texas Medical Center and Missouri City, while also providing connections to downtown Houston. The facility will also provide connections to the Authority's existing on-demand curb2curb service. METRO's new Missouri City Park & Ride will give Missouri City and Fort Bend County area residents greater access to transit. It will provide parking for up to 1,750 vehicles, a covered waiting area, ticket vending machines, real-time transit informations, restrooms and more.

While it's far improved over what it was 20 years ago, the whole area is uninviting. It's like a bedroom suburb inside the Loop. The vast stretches of baking asphalt just make the whole place seem like a wasteland, unless you're inside one of the nice apartment complexes. If someone has to get in their car to drive to retail, they'd might as well drive a few minutes to an established retail zone.

I had my car rummaged through three times in Las Vegas. The last time, they took my dashboard hula girl, and my sunglasses. While I miss the hula girl, the joke's on them because the sunglasses were prescription. Always lock your car doors. Crime of the type you describe is a "crime of opportunity." Some bored person or teen-ager walking by tests all the door handles, and if one is open — they look around to see what's inside. Like you, I never keep anything in my car more valuable than a first aid kit. The Red Line can look scary, but of the few hundred times I've used it, only once have I ever thought it was a problem. There was a guy flipping out shouting at invisible people. I think Metro could improve safety simply by putting more fare inspectors on the trains. People behave themselves more when they're on board, and they can get in touch with a real cop almost immediately by radio. I've seen them call for a cop of their radio, and there's officers waiting at the next station. If an ordinary person like me calls the Metro police number, by the time you get in touch with someone, you're six stops farther on, and probably done with your ride. The Red Line suffers from the same perception problem as downtown Houston — people think it's gross and unsafe because of the ratio of drug addicts to regular people. If you use it during shift changes at the Medical Center, it looks perfectly normal like any other train. But once the medical people get where they're going, the ratio changes, and it feels worse. Too bad Metro can't give the Jehova's Witnesses permission to carry out their positive loitering on Metro trains. Whenever they set up on a street corner, the druggies and vagrants go elsewhere. On a related note — I've started riding Metro's buses a little bit. They're absolutely fine. Perfectly normal people so far. Better than the trains, even.

Is it better to share a lane with pedestrians, or with cars?

Yes. How awful that a person who volunteers their free time to keep HAIF tidy for no pay should make a mistake. This is truly one of history's great injustices. Another option is to be tactful and bring it to my attention in a PM, rather than airing dirty laundry in public.