Porchman

MODS: Please merge with http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/21841-blue-house-in-heights-blvd/

I would welcome any info Evans-Davis might have as to why the house is still sitting on skids.

Parkways. Turn major secondary arteries into parkways with underpasses (with adequate sump pumps, of course) to reduce at-grade intersections of streets and railroad crossings. Move car traffic. In line with what has been suggested above, make it pretty.

I'm thinking that that's not going to be an issue. It's not part of the original campus, not unlike the strip of land between Fannin and Main, where for-profit activity is allowed. Even if TMC, Inc. owns the land or somehow is a party to a deed covenant that'd prevent for-profit users, TMC, Inc. and BCM would probably come to an agreement that would undo deed covenants in order to prevent the bankruptcy or an impairment of function of BCM as a TMC member institution.

There are different covenants to different sections of the TMC. And much of that Fannin-Main strip is actually owned by the individual intituions. (I'm not sure which, because the maps I've seen do not differentiate between ownership and leaseholds). I've tried looking it up, but cannot get a determination.

In the meantime the Chron is reporting that BCM Bonds are on the S&P watch list.

Do you think that it'd be wishful thinking to hope that an entity like Mayo Clinic could come to the rescue?

Yes. Mayo and also Cleveland Clinic have much more international aspirations.

HCA is in this private equity deal right now. Healthcare is growing, but leverage is not worth what it was a few years ago. I think they have a good business structure overall. It will be interesting to see what kind of "play" they have when (and if) they roll out of their private structure.

Still, does anybody know who owns the BCM Hospital Land? BCM or TMC? That is critical component of what flexibility any sale deal has.

According to the Chron, BCM has decided to go it alone. (For now.)

Good. First, BCM needs to find a permanent President, then someone (perhaps, acting BCM President Butler or TMC Presidnt Wainerdi) needs to lead a discussion between that President and another TCM Head.

TMH's Girotto appears to have been as much a part of the Methodist-Baylor split as Traber, so there are probably some seriously bad feelings there. Besides, TCM is putting the final touches on its research institute. This and the global focus of tertiary care centers, might make their 50-year contract affiliation with Weill Cornell more strong and rigid than it has appeared in the first few years of the affiliation.

SLEH/THI might be a good partner for BCM. They have teaching contracts with UTHSC and BCM, but no comprehensive affiliation. They had a fast, damaged relationship when Traber was BCM President. Traber's gone and there's a new Bishop on their Board. Things could move here.

In the meantime, BCM should put the south campus hospital up for sale....as is. They need the cash. I'm not sure who would buy it. There are always physicians who think they can run a hospital. Also, HCA is lacking a comprehensive TMC presence. If that plot is actually TMC land, however, neither buy would fly as TCM bylaws require that member instituions located on their campus must be not-for-profit.

As I have posted earlier, BCM, TMH, and SLEH should look at a comprehensive affiliation/merger. It was discussed 15 years ago, but never happened. I think all three would be good for each other.

I guess we shall see. It's all so soap operatic at some level.

the polling information i read stated that the independents who would normally vote democratic in mass, went the other way. evidently bank bailouts is a big issue there.

It's a big issue everywhere. However, simply put, if a house is imploding (sorry!), the best reaction is not to have lunch with the architect to find the emotive reasons behind its implosion. W recognized this. O recognized this. Conservative and liberal economists have recognized this. It's very painful to us who thought that "banks were to big to fail", and that, once again, they were " the smartest people in the room." That is a pain we need to absorb and dissolve, but build as a knowledge. Otherwise, an Enron becomes a Stanford becomes a....

The other issue in Massachusetts is that the great majority (I heard 98% on NPR this morning) are covered by healthcare. Why do they want to buy into a national healthcare project where their federal tax dollars would potentially be used to enhance healthcare in certain states where people are widely not insured, like states that begin with the letter "T". They have already acheived what is being vied for in the current healthcare packages. Personal pocketbook provincialism? Hmmmm.....

Hey folks - I'm a little late to this party but please refrain from personal attacks, name calling, and so on and so on and so on and so on..

Now back to the regularly scheduled back and forth...

Thank you, sev, I'm out...just making a point on viewpoint. I acknowledge my flaiming here, which is not my style.

Grace to HAIF

I have time to rant on a day I took off so I could have work completed at my house....I guess that is ironic in your world somehow.

Based on all your past daytime postings, your house must be imploding. Yes, I do find it ironic.

... Never worked a real day in his life, and never contributed anything to this country...

From the person who was busy ranting from 8:21 AM to 4:21 PM today...it's good to know irony is alive and well.

Word that Baylor College of Medicine is pursuing a closer affiliation with the Baptist university it separated from 40 years ago has prompted protests from medical students, faculty members, and alumni of the medical school, in Houston. More than 400 people have signed an online petition criticizing the move.

The

petition

was posted online after Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine

ended their discussions

of a possible merger last week and rumors began circulating that the financially troubled medical school might merge with Baylor University instead.

I assume you are referencing this...

My guess is that back in the 80's someone thought this would be cool to put up, and there was no stewardship plan for its maintenance.

The Avondale Association (http://www.avondaleassociation.org/) covers that area. They may have some information regarding the deteriorating M.

Another question since I obviously don't know the workings of the insurance industry.

Do agents mark-up policies? Are they essentially just car salesmen getting whatever slice of the pie they can get away with?

Would i get different quotes from 5 different State Farm agents or would they all pull down the same crunched numbers from HQ and make me the same offer?

No. The rates and agent's comp is scheduled by the carrier. The agents can get performance incentives (bonuses and enhanced commissions) for doing more business.

My agent has incompetent buffoons working for her. Their customer service is just absolutely awful.

When you call your insurance agent and offer them more business, you don't expect to be put on hold for 15 minutes, then told they would get back to you that afternoon, then be ignored for several days.

So my question - Can I move my State Farm policy to another agent? Local agents are just middlemen, right?

Is it just changing the middleman, or does my current agent some how have her fingers on my policy and I'd have to get a new one to switch??

Yes. You need to tell the current agent directly that you are moving the policy because of service dissatisfaction. (They have some sort of deal where the agent needs release you, which ensures other agents aren't swiping business from each other).

I was looking at moving ours, partially because the agent is across town and also because there has been little effort on their part. The agent did do a thorough review of the policy, so I am satisfied to stay for now.

A fire on East 13 1/2 near Beverly.

From Channel 13

Firefighters say it appears someone used some sort of an accelerant to start the fire.

I think this is the first in this series of incidents to take place on the east side of Heights Blvd

EDIT: The Chron has another take..

Firefighters said they determined that the home’s electrical circuit break box arced, sending sparks into a small pile of wood next to the house.

I also notice that 13 has removed it from their front page.

Link to: KHOU's recently aired story on the project

Last month, the Texas Transportation Commission added $88 million to TxDOT's stimulus construction plan, to rebuild several bridges and add new ones to complete a feeder road system on I-10 inside the Loop.

The idea is to fix those feeder roads that don't really feed.

There were public hearings on this project -- in 2003. The plan was part of the massive Katy Freeway project.

This is Marksmu?!

A Really Happy New Year if this is the guy.

Woo Hoo!! Houston Heights arsons make the Drudge Report. We are nationwide now, baby.

The story was published yesterday in the LA Times with pictures.

Is it true that the inauguration will be at Discovery Green?

The inauguration will be in the Brown Theatre at the Wortham on the morning of the 4th. I'm sure they've had openly gay people and Rice grads on the stage there.

Dream rolls in the 'hood? Jessica, this is awesome news. Thank you!

Sad. Mrs. P. and I used to do the early show every New Years Eve.

I think one of their big challenges was that many more top bills were coming in on the Improv circuit.

A proposal has been floated to renovate the sanctuary for a museum.

Today's presentation will be made by Houston art gallery owner Gus Kopriva, who said he will propose obtaining a long-term lease and creating a nonprofit organization to raise money for renovation. [/quote)

Famed for her fashion sense as well.

more kettle drum!

I ask my family to ship all packages to my office. UPS just leaves them in the middle of the porch where anybody can see them and make off with them. We've been lucky that nothing has been taken. (My sister never listens ).

I'm sorry for the folks in Woodland Heights. Not good Christmas joy. Thanks for sharing the tip, Sam.

Guess you both missed the part where i was going to pick up a package that the mailman didnt or couldn't deliver to my mailbox.

Guess i should have said to myself "Screw it, post offices are for old people and those that don't know how to shop online... I'll just let them keep whatever package it was that they couldn't deliver to me"... Silly me.

I did miss that you were picking up. I often scan. (I also shop online ).

Next time I have a package to pick up, I'll invite you to join me at TC House. It's like that all year round. I brace myself for the adventure and take a magazine.

Edit: Have you suggested that people send to your office? That's what I do.

I always read about how time spent in lines translates into days of life wasted --never really bought into it but this morning i stood in line 54 minutes at Post office on Gray---even the line for the automatic weigh machine to guage postage had 7 people in it--

I wouldn't have timed it but last week I stood in line at Post office on Richmond over 30 minutes because no one would come to the door with the buzzer you go to if you want to pick up package--

What's up with only one or two tellers at these post offices during the second week of christmas?

I waited 20 minutes in line today at the Richmond Ave location to pick up a package.

I also rang the buzzer at the door... but they do have a sign on it posting its very limited hours... I noticed it after about 15 seconds so i then got in line.

What pissed me off was the guy that came in about 5 minutes later.... buzzed numerous times.. and finally complained out loud to one of the two tellers behind the counter. Did the teller tell him to go get in line since the buzzer door was not currently open for business? No. She stopped servicing the line to go get his package.

Jackass customer cut in front of at least 10 people.. and jackass teller helped him do it. Numerous other people in line including myself were there just to pick up packages.

I shopped online...with wrapping and shipping included...by a warm fire...with cat purring next to me.