Howard

Google Search is your friend... Many moms might worry about their kids getting hurt playing football, but a new study shows that playing basketball and riding bicycles sent more Americans to the emergency room in 2005. More than half a million people suffered basketball-related injuries last year, compared to 485,000 hurt on bikes and 418,000 injured playing football. Trampolines bounced 108,000 U.S. residents into the hospital. And believe it or not, some 47,000 people managed to get hurt playing golf. "Athletes, youngsters and weekend warriors alike can wind up in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to these sports," said Pietro Tonino, director of the division of sports medicine at Loyola University Health System. "So before people run to the basketball court, they need to take steps to reduce their injury risk." Tonino used data from the U.S. Consumer Produce Safety Commission on injuries treated in emergency rooms. The Top 15: 1 Basketball: 512,213 2 Bicycling: 485,669 3 Football: 418,260 4 Soccer: 174,686 5 Baseball: 155,898 6 Skateboards: 112,544 7 Trampolines: 108,029 8 Softball: 106,884 9 Swimming/Diving: 82,354 10 Horseback riding: 73,576 11 Weightlifting: 65,716 12 Volleyball: 52,091 13 Golf: 47,360 14 Roller skating: 35,003 15 Wrestling: 33,734 Knee injuries, especially to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), are some of the most common and serious, the new study found. While ACL injuries can be treated with surgery and physical therapy, a way to prevent them is to build up the strength of your hamstrings. Tonino also recommends landing on the balls of your feet with knees bent and butt back, as if you were about to sit in a chair.

Skateboarders have always been a misunderstood bunch and probably what attracted me to it. There is no way I could explain it to you but real skateboarders would move to the area to enjoy the park. I bought my house in the Heights because of it and Memorial Park for mountain biking... Something else you probably wont understand for lack of mountains. In many ways the park will help the economy by skaters coming from all over to enjoy the park. At 41 I still skateboard at least 2 times a week here in the Miami area and I know the park will be there if I do move back. Most of the skaters I skate with are older than 30 and could give the young kids a lesson in ripping. Dont be so quick to judge the situation and what positive things it can bring to Houston. Everyone doesnt care for baseball, football, and basketball (the U.S. most dangerous sport). Helmets should be optional over 18 and having supervision isnt nessasary. When is the last time you went to supervised basketball court?

Thanks to Joseph Jamail and Congrats PUSH you guys FN rule! Yes the skateboarders will boost the economy. Skaters will be coming from all over for a park this size. New businesses will pop up because of it and current business will have additional traffic. I would travel to Austin to skate and take in the scene of that great town. I stayed in a hotel. I ate, went to some spots,ect... Also to Dallas and Allen skatepark to skate and enjoy the city. I also bought my house in the Heights because of the skatepark. Skateboarding is bigger than a lot of people think and its not just for kids as I am 40 years young.

Soundwaves is a pretty cool place. It has coffee, great music selection, listening stations, great surf board and decent skateboard selection. Softgoods and good skateshoe selection. Fun place for surf skate music types and more.

My realestate agent took me there after I bought my house two months ago. The place was packed for lunch and has weird hours. It was good but the the decore is pretty shabby. I can understand old school originality even with the wavy floor but it needs a full rehab. Maybe keep the wavy floor. Dare I say Fudrukkers is my favorite burger. Applebees makes a good one too. Lankford... not bad. Oh and they had cobbler!

I have lived here a year. Most of my clients and co-workers are upper 20's to upper 30's. I take them the Kemah a lot because its kinda cool but too many kids. No one liked Galveston. I dont have access to a boat to ski Lake Houston. Lake Conroe is too far. I did charter a boat once out on Galveston Bay on a Kemah trip. I take them to a club or two. Downtown was uneventful. They seemed to like Montrose for the retro shops. They like the Bayou. They liked Memorial Park a lot. Too bad there isnt more of them also... I would love a list when you have time. They have to be easy access... Not like having a boat or a windsurfer. But of course we are on about the skatepark! So email: coulducare@yahoo.com

The Houston skatepark is a must have for way too many reasons than I have time to sit behind this computer and type. I am from Florida and we have a park in every big city and a lot of small ones. Houston needs a real skatepark and I am for it 100%. The pre-fab garbage around here is just that... Garbage. A city this size is handicaped without one. Kona Skatepark in Jacksonville has been in operation since 1977 and is the WORLD'S oldest continually operating skateboard park. I have lots of business meetings with people from all over the world. I wine them and dine them and they come here quite often. I ask them how they like it and one of the biggest gripes I hear is all there is to do is shop and eat. I laughed and then I thought about it...

One of the lots was for sale for $200,000. If you are facing the construction it was the perfect lot closer to I-45. It had a house on it when I looked at it. This is quite pricey. I just put money down on a new townhouse on Washington instead.

Can someone give me more information on the tax benefits to downtown retail and the downtown boundaries for those tax breaks???

Houston needs something like Kemah all outdoor but for the over 21 crowd. Build some lakes, fountains, ect... Some clubs, shopping boutiques, movies, bars, food, outdoor activities, outdoor concerts with local bands and a FREE big act every month venders, street performers, events, plenty of seating. Boat rides bike and walking trails ect... HELLO HOUSTON!!!